The contemporary medical market is developing dynamically – modern technologies and innovative devices, applications, and products based on them are emerging in response to health and social needs. Behind such products are not only large corporations but also startups that have a good idea, courage, and ambition to change the world. Today, however, it is not enough to invent and create an innovative product; its safety, effectiveness, and compliance with end-user expectations must also be proven. In this context, product assessment by the Institute of Mother and Child is not only a proven way to verify these values but also real support for emerging innovations – both technologically and in terms of usability. This text explains the significance of the assessment process carried out by the Institute’s Department of Assessment and Cooperation Development for the innovation market, showing step-by-step how cooperation with the Institute proceeds, what benefits it offers companies, and why it is worth considering this partnership already at the product development planning stage.
Institute of Mother and Child – over 75 years of trust
The Institute of Mother and Child (IMiD) is the oldest and best-recognized scientific and medical unit in Poland that assesses products for infants, children, and women (including those in the perinatal period). This unique activity in Poland involves distinguishing products with a Positive Opinion that pass an assessment process, meeting high health, developmental, and functional requirements. Products marked with its unique sign are a reliable purchasing guide for end consumers, and for companies, a real tool for building user trust and competitive advantage.
Assessment as a process supporting innovation
Unlike classic certification bodies, the Institute evaluates not only product compliance with standards. The assessment process at IMiD is based on a multi-stage analysis conducted by interdisciplinary teams of medical and scientific experts, and its goal is not only verification but also product improvement. Work on the product takes place not only at the documentation level but also includes expert sensory evaluation of the product and user tests involving end consumers. As a result, detailed recommendations are created concerning every aspect of the product and its functionality, and even communication to target users. It is this aspect that makes assessment at IMiD real support for innovators, allowing them to identify product weaknesses even before its broad market launch and prevent potential usability or image errors.
Three stages of assessment – the path to product excellence
Assessment at IMiD proceeds in three complementary stages. Each of them brings value to the product creator, considering the needs of the end-user:
Expert assessment of documentation: regulatory compliance and raw material safety
This stage allows for the identification of potential formal barriers – not only in the context of certification but also compliance with European regulations for medical devices or products for specific consumer groups, e.g., pregnant women and children. IMiD analyzes, among other things, composition, construction, production processes, technological documentation, and environmental standards, giving product creators a concrete advantage in discussions with investors and distributors.
Expert sensory assessment: functionality, UX, ergonomics
A team of IMiD specialists evaluates the product or its prototype “live” in terms of construction, comfort of use, aesthetics, ergonomics, and potential health risks. At this stage, the product’s age appropriateness is confirmed, which is particularly important for sensitive consumer groups like newborns or pregnant women. This is often the first moment when creators (companies or startups) receive reliable feedback from professionals – what works and what needs changing. Unlike strictly laboratory tests, this is an expert assessment focused on real aspects of use. This stage gives companies the opportunity to genuinely improve the product before releasing it to the market.
User (application) testing among real users
The product reaches real users from the IMiD research panel, such as pregnant women, parents, or children, and is used for a specified period in home or clinical conditions. A domain expert supervises the study and also interprets the results. Standardized electronic surveys and in-depth interviews allow for checking whether the product meets its declared assumptions and for collecting data on its functionality, user satisfaction, comfort, and potential shortcomings. From the product creator’s perspective, this is the most valuable stage of UX validation, the logistical difficulty of which, if organized independently, might even prevent its realization.
This three-level system, supplemented by in-depth interviews and supervision by scientific and medical experts, enables a comprehensive product assessment, which translates into real support for its development.
User experience – when experts and users speak with one voice
One of the key differentiators of IMiD assessment is the integration of expert perspective with the experiences of real users. Such an approach, consistent with user-centered design principles, significantly increases the chances of creating a product that not only works but will also be well-received by users.
From a UX perspective, receiving a Positive Opinion means that the product meets the needs of its target group, is safe, ergonomic, and practical. Trust in a product begins with the first contact but is consolidated through satisfaction from its daily use. The IMiD assessment process ensures that this contact will be positive.
The Positive Opinion mark – more than just a logo
For end consumers, especially in the market for products for sensitive user groups like infants, children, and pregnant women, the unique Positive Opinion mark of the Institute of Mother and Child is a symbol of trust – a signal that the manufacturer has undergone verification by an independent institution, subjecting the product to an additional, rigorous expert assessment, which is not mandatory from the perspective of market regulations.
At the stage of introducing a product to the market, distinguishing the product with the Positive Opinion mark builds its credibility based on the image of a recognized scientific and research institution and facilitates access to thousands of users of the educational service epozytywnaopinia.pl.
Benefits for startups and manufacturers
Cooperation with IMiD in the field of assessment is a unique opportunity to:
- gain reliable feedback from experts and users at every stage of product creation;
- improve the prototype before market entry;
- receive support in interpreting regulations and industry standards;
- shorten the path to market acceptance of the product;
- be distinguished with a Positive Opinion, which strengthens brand credibility;
- reach target users from the B2B market through promotion on the epozytywnaopinia.pl portal.
These benefits can be interpreted as shortening the time to achieve Product-Market Fit. They also provide stronger arguments in negotiations with investors, greater credibility in the eyes of potential customers, and a solid foundation for long-term development and a lasting market presence in the demanding healthcare sector.
Summary: A Positive Opinion that drives development
In an era of user-centered design, regulatory pressure, and growing consumer expectations, cooperation with the Institute of Mother and Child in product assessment is a real differentiator against the competition, practical support in meeting market requirements, and in building the trust of investors and users. IMiD not only assesses but actively co-creates product quality, helping startups move faster from prototype to market maturity.
Inquiries and contact: aleksandra.swieboda@imid.med.pl or dzial.ocen@imid.med.pl
Aleksandra Świeboda – Head of the Department of Assessment and Cooperation Development at the Institute of Mother and Child