HomeConsulting › ISO 14971
ISO 14971 Consulting

ISO 14971 risk management that regulators and auditors accept

We help medical device manufacturers build a compliant ISO 14971 risk management process and file — integrated with your ISO 13485 quality system and design controls.

Book a consultation All services
Overview

What is ISO 14971?

ISO 14971 is the international standard for the application of risk management to medical devices. It defines a lifecycle process — risk analysis, evaluation, control, and residual-risk assessment — that runs from concept through post-market surveillance.

Regulators expect it: the FDA recognizes ISO 14971, and the EU MDR and IVDR effectively require a conforming risk management process. Done well, it's not paperwork — it's the backbone that connects your design controls, verification, and post-market feedback.

How we help

Where we come in

Risk management plan & file

We build the risk management plan and a well-organized risk management file that tells a clear, auditable story from hazards to residual risk.

Hazard analysis & FMEA

We run structured hazard analysis and design/process FMEAs that tie real failure modes to real controls.

Benefit-risk & residual risk

We document risk-control verification and a defensible overall benefit-risk conclusion that stands up to notified-body and FDA scrutiny.

Integration with ISO 13485 & design controls

We connect risk management to your QMS, design controls, and post-market surveillance so everything reconciles.

What you get

Typical engagement includes

FAQ

Common questions

How does ISO 14971 relate to ISO 13485?

ISO 13485 is your medical device quality management system; ISO 14971 is the risk management process that lives inside it and feeds your design controls. Auditors expect the two to reconcile — we make sure they do.

Is ISO 14971 required by the FDA and EU MDR?

The FDA recognizes ISO 14971, and the EU MDR/IVDR effectively require a conforming risk management process. In practice, you cannot clear or CE-mark a device without it.

Is an FMEA the same as ISO 14971?

No. An FMEA is a useful tool, but ISO 14971 is the overarching risk management process — including benefit-risk analysis and residual-risk evaluation that a standalone FMEA does not cover.

Can you help a small or first-time manufacturer?

Yes. We right-size the risk management system to your device and stage so it satisfies regulators without drowning a small team in documentation.

Related services

Explore more

Ready to get your risk management file audit-ready?

Led by a quality executive with 15+ years across diagnostics and medical devices — we build ISO 14971 risk management that regulators and notified bodies accept.

Get in touch