Product Standards
CLASP ensures quality products. In 2018 CLASP, together with the Product Advisory Council (PAC) and the International Society of Wheelchair Professionals (ISWP), established a manual wheelchair and accessories evaluation rubric to objectively compare like-products and define a minimum quality standard. Since the first ITB launch in 2018, 18 products have been competitively selected.
Today, CLASP sources new products to meet market needs on a case-by-case basis. For more information about product specifications, see the World Health Organization’s Assistive Product Specifications.
Product Advisory Council
A Product Advisory Council (PAC) evaluates product applications and ultimately makes product recommendations to CLASP. The PAC is a peer-nominated, competitively selected group of clinical, technical and wheelchair-user experts. It was formed under advisement of the ISWP and is composed of volunteers from around the world.
The PAC considers some of the following criteria when reviewing products:
- Manufacturing and quality standards, including ISO7176 or equivalent certification
- Product specifications and usability
- Market potential
CLASP is expanding its catalog by adding products based on market needs and gaps in the CLASP catalog. Products that are not PAC-approved are from trusted CLASP suppliers with proven manufacturing standards and product quality, but have not undergone a competitive bidding process.
| Product inclusion in CLASP’s catalog | Product documentation reviewed by PAC | Product ISO test results reviewed by PAC | Product demonstrations evaluated by PAC |
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PAC reviewed and approved
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✅ Detailed technical specifications, user/assembly manuals, standardized quality test results | ✅ | ✅ Demonstrations assessed in-person for usability, functionality and quality |
If you have any questions regarding the PAC, please email pac@clasphub.org.