scope:

This part of ISO 11737 specifies the general criteria for tests of sterility on medical devices that have been exposed to a treatment with the sterilizing agent reduced relative to that anticipated to be used in routine sterilization processing. These tests are intended to be performed when defining, validating or maintaining a sterilization process.

This part of ISO 11737 is not applicable to:

a) sterility testing for routine release of product that has been subjected to a sterilization process;

b) performing a test for sterility (see 3.12);

NOTE 1 The performance of a) or b) is not a requirement of ISO 11135-1, ISO 11137-1, ISO 14160, ISO 14937 or ISO 17665-1.

c) culturing of biological indicators or inoculated products. NOTE 2 Guidance on culturing biological indicators is included in ISO 14161^[8].