§ 862.2 Regulation of calibrators

Many devices classified in this part are intended to be used with a calibrator. A calibrator has a reference value assigned to it which serves as the basis by which test results of patients are derived or calculated. The calibrator for a device may be (a) manufactured and distributed separately from the device with which it is intended to be used, (b) manufactured and distributed as one of several device components, such as in a kit of reagents, or (c) built-in as an integral part of the device. Because of the central role that a calibrator plays in the measurement process and the critical effect calibrators have on accuracy of test results, elsewhere in this part, all three of these types of calibrators ( §§ 862.1150 and 862.3200 of this part ) are classified into class II, notwithstanding the classification of the device with which it is intended to be used. Thus, a device and its calibrator may have different classifications, even if the calibrator is built into the device.