french for research use only

French: A Guide to Research

• Getting Started
• Research Support

Library Search Tips

Best bets: databases for french resources, general interest databases, find ebooks.

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Library & Internet Research course

TIP : Academic libraries are different from public libraries -- if you are new to finding and using academic resources, Milne Library recommends that you take the 3-credit course, INTD 150: Library & Internet Research . No matter your major, it will help you for your entire college career, and well beyond!

Google Scholar

Google Scholar can be used to search for full-text articles available in Milne Library subscription databases.

Find research sources with a library search

This page offers ideas for how and where to search for research sources in the Milne Library. Scroll down to find reference books ,  databases full of articles, and search tips that are tailored to French students.

Need help with your research on a specific subject?

Contact the library's Reference Desk to help find a source, or set up a consultation with a Reference & Instruction Librarian for an hour-long research session. For more information, visit the Get Library Help page. 

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Search Tips for Databases

Databases are searchable online catalogs for research materials like scholarly journals and articles, books, primary source materials (such as letters, maps, datasets, or photographs), and video and audio materials. Milne Library's databases are all listed at A-Z Databases . 

Use "advanced" search functions in databases

For best results, use Advanced Search options. Try combining the name of the region, country, author, or other main topic you are focusing on with additional French-related subject terms to find scholarly articles. Some example subject terms to try:

• French language / langue française
• French linguistics
• French literature
• Francophone Africa

Filter your search results

Look for "filter" options in your search results that let you choose the language of the resource (if you are looking for French language articles, for example) or the dates of publication. If you are looking for a certain kind of research material -- like a full-text article, a book, or an audio file -- you can often filter for type, too. 

Use French & English search terms

Leverage your knowledge of foreign languages to expand the number of search terms you can use:

• Naming conventions are different in different cultures and databases may or may not take that into account. For example when looking up Honoré de Balzac, try spelling it with and without accent marks or only with the last name (Balzac), etc.
• Articles written in a foreign language may have set their keywords in a foreign language too. So consider searching in English (e.g. for ‘the Enlightenment’) and in your target language (e.g. ‘ la Ilustración ’ or ‘ Le Siècle des Lumières ’).

Specialized Databases for French Scholars 

Research databases are searchable online catalogs of research materials like scholarly journals and articles, books, primary source materials (such as letters, maps, datasets, or photographs), and video and audio materials.

Some databases are freely accessible online. French-language open access databases include:

• Pers ée   provides free and open access to complete collections of scholarly publications (journals, books, conference proceedings, serial publications, primary sources, etc.) and to a range of research and exploitation tools. It is organized by the French government and several universities. 

Some databases require paid subscriptions by your library. Milne Library's databases are all listed at A-Z Databases .  Here are some best bets in our collection for French:

Search and analyze the history of Latin America and the Caribbean from the sixteenth through twentieth century through primary source documents.

Search periodical content to explore cultural differences, contributions, and influences in the global community.

• Europa World This link opens in a new window Online global resource including political, economic and statistical information about more than 250 countries and territories, as well as international and regional organizations. You do not need to login to access content. more... less... The Europa World Year Book was first published in 1926 and, together with the nine Regional Surveys of the World, is renowned as one of the world's leading reference works.

• MLA International Bibliography This link opens in a new window Contains over 2.3 million citations from more than 4,400 journals & series and 1,000 book publishers. Includes almost 60 titles from J-STOR's language and literature collection as well as links to full text. Coverage is from about 1920.

General Interest Databases: Best Bets

These databases cover general interest and academic topics, but targeted search terms (like those suggested in "Library search tips" above) can yield great results for French course assignments and projects. Most offer language-specific searches.

Full text for about 8,500 periodicals including over 7,300 peer-reviewed journals across most areas of academic study as well as indexing and abstracts for more than 12,500 magazines and journals. Coverage is from 1887 to the present.

• Historical Abstracts with Full Text Covers the history of the world (excluding the United States and Canada) from 1450 to the present, including world history, military history, women's history, and the history of education. Indexing and abstracts for about 1800 journals; full-text for about 350 journals. Coverage is from 1955 to the present.

Searching for Library Books

To look for books in the Milne Library catalog, navigate to the library homepage and click on 'Advanced Search.' Then enter your search terms.

• If you want print volumes, change the search scope to 'Library Catalog', limit to 'Books', enter your search terms and click 'Search'. Once in the results list, click 'Held by Library' to limit to print volumes only.
• If you wish to find online books, limit the search scope to 'Online Access' and change the 'Material Type' to 'Books'.

Reference Books in the Library

Reference sources--like encyclopedias and dictionaries--provide an overview or summary of your topic and are ideal to be used when starting research. Some useful French reference titles are listed here.  Print reference resources are currently located on the sub-basement and the 2nd floor in the Milne Library.

Acclaimed by language professionals the world over, the Oxford-Hachette French Dictionary has long been the market leader. Using the statistical evidence provided by vast electronic databanks of language currently being written and spoken, our expert editors have made it the most comprehensive, reliable, and up-to-date dictionary of French and English available today. This fully updated fourth edition has even better coverage of the language than ever before, with improved treatment of acronyms and EU terminology, as well as thousands of new words in both English and French. A must for anyone studying the French language, this dictionary has been tailored to the needs of students in consultation with key academic advisors. This edition contains even more of the useful information for language students or part-time residents abroad, including sample bills and rental agreements. By far the most up-to-date and complete French dictionary of its size, it will provide one-stop shopping for all your language needs.

The Collection Littéraire Lagarde et Michard is an anthology of French literature by century.

Repensée et soigneusement mise à jour, cette nouvelle édition du Bescherelle La conjugaison pour tous constitue plus que jamais l'outil indispensable de la conjugaison française. L'ouvrage comprend trois parties complémentaires qui donnent toutes les indications nécessaires pour trouver et orthographier les formes de n'importe quel verbe français.

Can't Find Your Book at our Library?

One option is to use  ILLiad , our interlibrary loan system, to request that the book be sent from another library. Remember that it can take a while to fulfill an ILL request, and it's occasionally not possible. Another possibility is Resource Sharing , which allows us to borrow books from most other SUNYs, CUNYs, and several other private colleges throughout New York State. An advantage to Resource Sharing is that the checkout terms are longer.

You cannot obtain required course textbooks through ILL or Resource Sharing.

Open Access Online Books

There are many open access book collections available freely on the internet. Here are a few great collections:

A service of the OAPEN Foundation based at the National Library in The Hague, Netherlands. Database contains more than 5,000 academic, peer-reviewed books from 163 publishers.

Partnership of academic and research institutions, offering a collection of millions of titles digitized from libraries around the world.

Offers over 53,000 free eBooks, most of which are primary source texts in the public domain.

Project of the U.S. Library of Congress and UNESCO. Makes available on the Internet, free of charge and in multilingual format, significant primary materials from all countries and cultures.

Milne Library eBook Collections

There are two ways to find eBooks from the library's collections. One method is to search in the Milne Library catalog. Navigate to the  library homepage  and click on 'Advanced Search.' Then enter your search terms.

The second method is to search each Milne Library's eBook databases (in case something in a database is not showing up in our catalog). All eBook databases are available in the A-Z Database list , and here are some best bets:

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French studies: research tools.

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Research Tools for French Studies

Use bibliographic tools like these to either focus or broaden your research:

Archival Collections and Primary Sources • Article Databases and Indexes • Bibliographies and Subject Guides • Book Review Sources • Dissertation and Theses • French Libraries • News Databases, Indexes and Web Sites

Archival Collections and Primary Sources

Online Resources

The complete list of databases is available through the Library's Electronic Resource Finder .

• ArchiveGrid This link opens in a new window more... less... Searchable descriptions of nearly a million historical documents, personal papers, and family histories kept in libraries, museums, and archives worldwide. Includes information on how to examine and order copies.

• *France & French Collections at the Library of Congress
• French History (ESS)

Available in Print Only

• Dictionnaire des journaux, 1600-1789 by Jean Sgard Call Number: Doe Reference PN5184.P4 D5 1991 v.1-2
• France: Empire and Republic, 1850-1940 by David Thomson Call Number: Main Stacks DC340 .T52 1968 & NRLF

• French Revolution documents by J. M. Roberts and R. C. Cobb Call Number: Main Stacks DC141 .R39 v.1-2
• Les gazettes européennes de langue française : répertoire by Pierre Rétat Call Number: Doe Reference PN5184.P4 R47 2002
• Guide des sources de la Commune de Paris et du mouvement communaliste, 1864-1880 : Paris et Ile de France Call Number: Main Stacks DC317 .G85 2007
• Répertoire des sources historiques du moyen âge by Ulysse Chevalier Call Number: Doe Reference, Bancroft Reference D112 .C53 & Online
• Les Sources de l'histoire de France depuis les origines jusqu'en 1815 Call Number: Main Stacks DC6 .S7 1901a & Online
• Les sources de l'histoire de France. Notices bibliographiques et analytiques des inventaires et des recueils de documents relatifs à l'histoire de France by Alfred Franklin Call Number: Doe Reference DC6 .F8 & Online

Article Indexes and Databases

Below is a selection of article indexes and databases pertinent to French and Francophone Studies.   You can find a complete list of all Berkeley databases subscriptions at the  A-Z database list .

The first three are highly recommended:

Includes all data from Humanities International Index. Subjects covered include archaeology, literature, religion, art, dance, theater, folklore, history, African-American studies, law, women's studies, and more.

Sponsored by the Modern Language Association.

• FemEnRev (Féminismes En Revue) Full text of 11 or more French feminist journals from the 1970s-1990s. Searchable, includes text and PDFs, and index of authors.
• Indexes and Guides to Western European Periodicals-French (ESS)

The PASCAL-FRANCIS Archive will become progressively enriched with other document types and with records of partners having previously cooperated with PASCAL and FRANCIS.

• Bibliographie historique et critique de la presse périodique française by Eugène Hatin Call Number: Doe Reference AP1.36.F8 H3, Bancroft Reference Z6956.F8 H2 & Online
• Bibliographie des revues et journaux littéraires des XIXe et XXe siècles by Jean-Michel Place et André Vasseur Call Number: Main Stacks PQ281.A12 P4 v.1-3:1
• French literary journals : a selected annotated guide by Anna Danuta Kaczynska Call Number: Doe Reference & NRLF(UCB) PQ100.A12 .K3
• Repère by Bibliothèque nationale du Québec Call Number: Doe Reference AJ7 .I512
• Les revues littéraires belges de langue française de 1830 à nos jours by Paul Aron, Pierre-Yves Soucy Call Number: Main Stacks Z2405 .A76 1998

Bibliographies and Subject Guides

Selected lists of materials in any format organized around a common theme or topic.

• *Feminism & French Women in History: A Resource Guide
• French 17 (online)
• Research Guide for French and Francophone Literature (PDF, 21 pages, rev. 4/11)
• Les années littéraires en Afrique : 1912-1987 by Pius Ngandu Nkashama Call Number: Main Stacks PQ3981.A12 P58 1993
• Bibliographie annuelle de l'histoire de France du cinquième siècle à 1958 Call Number: Doe Reference DC6 .C65
• Bibliographie d'histoire littéraire française = Bibliographie der französischen Literaturwissenschaft Call Number: Main Stacks PQ47.5 .B48
• Bibliographie de l'histoire médiévale en France (1965-1990) by Michel Balard Call Number: Doe Reference DC61.A12 B35 1992

• A Critical bibliography of French literature by D.C. Cabeen Call Number: Doe Reference PQ47.5 .C3 v.1-6
• Dictionnaire de la France coloniale by Jean-Pierre Rioux Call Number: Main Stacks JV1811 .D53 2007
• Dictionnaire de la politique française by Henry Coston Call Number: Main Stacks DC55 .C72 2000
• Dictionnaire des œuvres littéraires de langue française by Jean-Pierre de Beaumarchais Call Number: Doe Reference PQ41 .D533 1994 v.1-4; Main Stacks PQ41 .B42 1994
• Dictionnaire du Second Empire by Jean Tulard Call Number: Doe Reference DC276 .D53 1995
• Dictionnaire des auteurs Maghrébins de langue française by Jean Déjeux Call Number: Doe Reference PQ3988.N6 D38 1984
• Dictionnaire de la colonisation française by Claude Liauzu Call Number: Doe Reference JV1807 .D53 2007
• Ecritures littéraires : dictionnaire critique des œuvres africaines de langue française by Pius Ngandu Nkashama Call Number: Doe Reference PQ3980.A52 P583 2002 v.1-2

• Guide to French Literature by Anthony Levi (Editor) Call Number: Doe Reference Hall PQ41 .L48 1992 & Main Stacks PQ41 .L48 1992
• Histoire de la littérature en Suisse romande by Roger Francillon Call Number: Main Stacks PQ3871 .H57 2015

• Lettres françaises de Belgique : dictionnaire des œuvres by Robert Frickx et Raymond Trousson Call Number: Doe Reference PQ3814 .L47 1988 v.1-4
• Negritude : an annotated bibliography by Colette V. Michael Call Number: Doe Reference PN56.N36 M5 1988

Book Reviews

• Acta Fabula, revue des parutions

"Indexes book reviews of English-language fiction and nonfiction books for children and adults, from over 8000 leading magazines from the United States, Canada, and Great Britain. Includes several thousand full text reviews. For book reviews published from 1905 to 1982 go to Book Review Digest Retrospective which can be searched separately or simultaneously."

• Google Scholar This link opens in a new window more... less... Lists journal articles, books, preprints, and technical reports in many subject areas (though more specialized article databases may cover any given field more completely). Can be used with "Get it at UC" to access the full text of many articles.

• Book review digest Call Number: Doe Reference Z1219 .B8 Periodical Indexes

Some sources to peruse for new French publications include:

• Critique by Editions de Minuit Call Number: Main Stacks Z1007 .C8 & Online via Cairn
• Décapage: revue littéraire Call Number: Main Stacks PQ2 .D43, latest in Current Periodicals, Heyns Reading Room
• Lire Call Number: Main Stacks Z2174.B6 L57 latest in Current Periodicals, Heyns Reading Room
• Livres de France Call Number: Main Stacks Z2161 .L73 latest in Current Periodicals, Heyns Reading Room
• Quinzaines : lettres, arts et idées Call Number: Main Stacks f AP20 .Q53 latest in Current Periodicals, Heyns Reading Room, shelved in Folio Section

Dissertations and Theses

Older dissertations not available full text may be obtained through Interlibrary Loan .

For more extensive indexing of doctoral dissertations and theses from Western Europe, here are a few other resources to consult:

• OPAC SBN: Catalogo del Servizio Bibliotecario Nazionale - Italy
• theses.fr - France

French Libraries and Catalogs

• Biblissima more... less... This portal is a virtual library of libraries: discover the history of various texts and books that were written, translated, illuminated, collected and catalogued from Classical Antiquity through the 18th century.
• BULAC, Bibliothèque universitaire des langues et civilisations
• Catalogue des incunables by Bibliothèque nationale Call Number: Main Stacks Z240 .F718 1981 v.1-2 & Bancroft Reference

• A short title catalogue of French books, 1601-1700 : in the Library of the British Museum by V.F. Goldsmith Call Number: Doe Reference Z2162 .B87 & Bancroft Reference

News Databases, Indexes and Web Sites

Listings (may include abstracts or full text) of articles in newspapers, newsmagazines, broadcast news transcripts or wire services. Also includes web sites of these media, or directories of such sites.

• French Language News and Newspapers (MIT) more... less... Compiled by the MIT Libraries.
• *Les principaux quotidiens (Gallica)
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Laboratory products for “Research Use Only” (RUO) – often a dangerous claim

Manufactures use the “Research Use Only” (RUO) label to declare that their products should not be used in diagnostic procedures. This enables them to avoid the time-consuming and costly documentation required for conformity-assessed in vitro diagnostic medical devices (CE-IVDs). Nevertheless, some medical laboratories still use RUO products in diagnostic procedures, sometimes even with the knowledge of the manufacturers. This can have consequences – not just for manufacturers and operators but for patients as well.

In this article, you will learn

• what the “Research Use Only” (RUO) label means,
• what the requirements for RUO products are,
• how to avoid legal problems, and
• what alternatives there are to RUO products.

1. “Research Use Only” – what does it mean?

Products labeled “For Research Use Only” are hardly subject to any regulatory controls. Regulation (EU) 2017/746 on in vitro diagnostic medical devices (IVDR) aims to distance itself from RUO products clearly:

The scope of application of this Regulation should be clearly delimited from other legislation concerning products, such as medical devices, general laboratory products and products for research use only. IVDR Foreword (7)

a) Institutions affected

The following institutions, in particular, use RUO products:

• Medical laboratories can utilize RUO products, but doing so designates them as the manufacturer, carrying all the associated consequences.
• If medical laboratories utilize RUO products for purposes beyond research, this can potentially render them liable for damages and subject to criminal liability in the worst-case scenario.

You can find more information on “Lab Developed Tests” in our article The EU regulates medical laboratories – Are Laboratory Developed Tests still allowed?

• Manufacturers can incorporate RUO products as components in their IVD, but they are subsequently responsible for ensuring the conformity of the end device with the IVDR. The RUO labeling of the component is not mandatory.
• If manufacturers designate their devices as “RUO,” the intended use of these devices must be interpreted accordingly and, if required, substantiated. For instance, reasonably foreseeable misuse should be taken into account. The RUO label should not be applied to the device as a mere “protective claim,” as this may result in legal consequences.

b) Definition

There is no standardized definition for “Research Use Only” (RUO) products. Generally, they can be understood as products designed for analysis intended solely for scientific research purposes, as the name implies. Their main distinction from medical devices lies in their inability to be used for medical purposes.

Nevertheless, the interpretation of “Research Use Only” varies between Europe and the USA.

Definition in Europe

In Europe, the  MEDDEV 2.14/2  guidance document ( IVD Guidance: Research Use Only products – A guide for manufacturers and notified bodies ) provides a definition of RUOs. This guidance was written within the framework of the now obsolete Directive 98/79/EC on in vitro diagnostic medical devices (IVDD) and, in the absence of an up-to-date replacement, it can still be considered the state of the art.

MEDDEV 2.14/2 states:

“for a product to be categorized as an RUO product it must have no intended medical purpose or objective.” Source: MEDDEV 2.14/2 rev.1

This means that an RUO product must not have a medical purpose, even not a rudimentary one.

This also applies to tests developed in-house (Laboratory Developed Tests) that are only used in a health institution for research purposes.

The IVDR also addresses RUO products. Article 1 (3) a) of the IVDR excludes RUO products from its scope:

This Regulation does not apply to: (a) products for general laboratory use or research-use only products, unless such products, in view of their characteristics, are specifically intended by their manufacturer to be used for in vitro diagnostic examination; Source: IVDR, Article 1 (3) a)

Furthermore, Article 2 (45) specifies:

“A device intended to be used for research purposes, without any medical objective , shall not be deemed to be a device for performance study;” IVDR, Article 2 (45)

Devices for performance studies are:

“‘device for performance study ’ means a device intended by the manufacturer to be used in a performance study” IVDR, Article 2 (45)

The IVDR thus distinguishes RUO products from IVDs and products for performance studies. The EU regulation also highlights the lack of a medical intended purpose for RUO products.

Definition in the USA

In 2013, the FDA published a guidance document on RUOs  entitled “ Distribution of In Vitro Diagnostic Products Labeled for Research Use Only or Investigational Use Only .”

This guidance defines RUO products as follows:

“ An RUO product is an IVD product that is in the laboratory research phase of development and is being shipped or delivered for an investigation that is not subject to part 812” [NB: Part 812 concerns the provision of devices for performance evaluation purposes as a preliminary step to IVDs] FDA guidance “Distribution of In Vitro Diagnostic Products Labeled for Research Use Only or Investigational Use Only”, Chapter III A

Some examples of products that the FDA believes fall into this research phase of development are:

• Tests that are in development to identify test kit methodology, necessary components, and analytes to be measured.
• Instrumentation, software, or other electrical/mechanical components under development to determine correct settings, subcomponents, subassemblies, basic operational characteristics, and possible use methods.
• Reagents under development to determine production methods, purification levels, packaging needs, shelf life, storage conditions, etc.

However, the FDA further specifies:

“FDA also recognizes that there are certain products, such as instruments, systems, and reagents that are labeled for research use only and intended for use in the conduct of nonclinical laboratory research with goals other than the development of a commercial IVD product […].” FDA guidance “Distribution of In Vitro Diagnostic Products Labeled for Research Use Only or Investigational Use Only”, Chapter III A

And subsequently gives examples of such research purposes in which the product itself is not the subject of research.

The FDA thus sees two “types” of RUO products: First, IVD devices whose development is ongoing and which are themselves the subject of the research purpose, and second, products for nonclinical research.

In both cases, the FDA requires a clearly visible RUO label to be affixed to the products. The RUO label is intended to prevent use for clinical diagnostics, patient management, and other investigations with a medical purpose.

c) What are the consequences of using the “Research Use Only” label?

Normally, IVDs are subject to regulatory requirements (for example, according to the IVDR or FDA) based on their risk class.

However, RUO products do not fall within the definition of “in vitro diagnostic medical devices” given by the IVDR or the  relevant FDA regulations . This means that these regulations do not apply to RUO products.

‘ In vitro diagnostic medical device’ means any medical device which is a reagent, reagent product, calibrator, control material, kit, instrument, apparatus, piece of equipment, software or system, whether used alone or in combination, intended by the manufacturer to be used in vitro for the examination of specimens, including blood and tissue donations, derived from the human body, solely or principally for the purpose of providing information on one or more of the following:

(a) concerning a physiological or pathological process or state; (b) concerning congenital physical or mental impairments; (c) concerning the predisposition to a medical condition or a disease; (d) to determine the safety and compatibility with potential recipients; (e) to predict treatment response or reactions; (f) to define or monitoring therapeutic measures.

Specimen receptacles shall also be deemed to be in vitro diagnostic medical devices.

Source: Article 2 IVDR

“In vitro diagnostic products are those reagents, instruments, and systems intended for use in diagnosis of disease or other conditions, including a determination of the state of health, in order to cure, mitigate, treat, or prevent disease or its sequelae. Such products are intended for use in the collection, preparation, and examination of specimens taken from the human body.”

Source: 21 CFR 809.3

However, RUO products do not automatically fall entirely outside the regulatory scope in the EU. Depending on the product, they may still have to comply with requirements that are not specifically intended for IVDs (such as the  REACH regulation  for chemicals or the  Machinery Directive ).

Read more about the Machinery Directive: Which parts apply to medical devices .

Since RUO products are subject to considerably fewer controls than IVDs, it is necessary to severely restrict their use. Therefore, in particular they may not be used to

• make diagnoses and
• conduct performance studies.

2. Use and misuse of “Research Use Only” labels

A) what should ruo products be used for.

As the name “For Research Use Only” indicates, products with RUO labeling are intended for research purposes only. RUO products are particularly attractive for the research sector due to the simplified process and lower hurdles for placing them on the market.

MEDDEV. 2.14/2 rev.1 provides a precise list of areas where RUO products may potentially be used:

• basic research
• pharmaceutical research
• better identification and quantification of individual chemical substances or ligands in biological specimens
• in-house manufacturing of so called “Laboratory Developed Tests” for research purposes

And of areas where the use of RUOs is expressly  not  permitted:

• use of raw materials which are labeled “For Research Use Only” but which are incorporated into a finished product
• so called “research use products” being tested against a comparator IVD product that bears the CE mark
• products for market studies/feasibility studies

These products can be assigned a medical purpose.

b) What RUO products are often used for

However, the low hurdles are also the reason why RUO products are often used for purposes they are not intended for. This poses significant dangers for manufacturers, operators, and patients.

Sale of RUO products to medical laboratories

RUO products are sold by manufacturers to medical laboratories. Although doctors sometimes also conduct research, this is not really the main purpose of a medical laboratory.

Therefore, when discussing sales with doctors, it should always be assumed that there is a medical reason behind the use of the product. This means that anyone who knowingly sells RUO products to medical laboratories is potentially under suspicion of using the pretext “For Research Use Only” to ignore an intended medical purpose and thus avoid responsibility for a medical device.

Avoid reference to any specific diagnostic procedures in your advertising materials for products that clearly do not have a medical purpose. You should always stay on the technical or purely analytical level.

Use of RUO products in medical laboratories

The issue of selling RUOs to medical laboratories is not limited to manufacturers alone. The laboratories themselves may also not be acting in line with their status as operators and may, as a result, be liable under certain circumstances.

• Medical laboratories are free to develop in-house tests themselves. In such cases, RUO products are often used in diagnostic procedures. The laboratory bears full responsibility for these tests. Even under the IVDD,  MEDDEV 2.14/2  saw this topic critical. However, with the IVDR, the EU is explicitly placing more restrictions on the routine use of such Lab Developed Tests.

Read more in our article  The EU regulates medical laboratories – Are Laboratory Developed Tests still allowed?

• Due to the low regulatory hurdles, purchasing RUO products is very affordable. As a result, medical laboratories prefer them over expensive CE-IVD devices if they can achieve the same level of performance. Nevertheless, the use of RUO products for purposes other than research, even in cases where they provide similar results, is not permitted.

3. Consequences of incorrect classification

Lack of controls can have a negative effect on quality. As a result, the relevant authorities (e.g., authorities during inspections) take a closer look at whether a product is actually intended “For Research Use Only.”

Manufacturers should also be aware that simply sticking an RUO label on a product does not on its own mean that the product no longer has to comply with requirements for IVDs that would otherwise apply.

The RUO status is determined solely by the actual intended use of a device. To this end, authorities (both European and FDA) also use marketing material or other information as evidence.

Manufacturers and operators who misuse the RUO label could face severe penalties, as such behavior can cause serious harm to patients or even the general public.

a) Consequences for manufacturers and operators

Improperly selling IVDs with an RUO label or using RUO products for purposes other than research is not a trivial offense.  Manufacturers who intentionally conceal or attempt to conceal a diagnostic purpose behind the RUO label should anticipate legal consequences in Germany. The same applies for operators who misuse RUO products. There is the possibility of a fine or even prison sentences. In addition, there is potential liability for harm suffered by patients.

b) Consequences in the USA

There are also severe penalties in the USA. If an RUO label is deemed to have been incorrectly used for a product, the product would be considered misbranded under sections 502(a) and 502(o) of 21 US Code, 352(a), 352(o) [A1] and would be considered adulterated under section 501(f) of 21 US Code 351(f).

c) Consequences for patients

However, the consequences can be even worse for patients. After all, the regulatory requirements for IVDs aren’t just plucked out of thin air to annoy manufacturers and operators. The regulations are intended to protect patients against incorrect results and subsequent wrong decisions. False-negative results can lull patients into a false sense of security and an existing undetected disease may worsen. One example would be the metastasis of an undetected cancer due to a test not performing as intended.

Some incorrect diagnoses could even be so severe that they can cause the death of a lot of people: an undetected viral infection can cost many lives in the early stages of an epidemic or pandemic, as the coronavirus pandemic sadly demonstrated.

4. Alternatives to “Research Use Only” products

To avoid legal problems and risks to third parties, manufacturers and users should use general laboratory equipment as an alternative to RUO products.

There are laboratory products that obviously have no specific medical purpose, such as

• pure chemicals,
• culture media,
• reaction vessels,
• washing solutions,
• qPCR cycler,
• sequencers,
• centrifuges.

Read more on the topic here: General laboratory equipment: What manufacturers and laboratories ne e d to know to avoid problems and unnecessary expense

5. Ways to protect yourself

Manufacturers, operators, and patients can take the following steps to avoid legal and other negative consequences when using RUO products:

a) Manufacturers

In the case of manufacturers, it is particularly important that they narrowly define the intended purpose of their product.

Analyte specific reagents should only be labeled as RUO products for specific non-medical purposes.

SARS-CoV-2 and its mutations: a test kit that uses specific primers and probes to distinguish the variants B.1.1.7 (alpha variant) and B.1.351 (beta variant) from the initial variant following a positive result may be an RUO product if it is only intended to be used to determine the prevalence of the variant in the population.

A specific intended purpose in this case would be: “ Intended solely for epidemiological research for the purpose of surveying the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 variants in the general population. ”

If a medical laboratory subsequently, based on new findings, used this test to provide the best possible treatment for infection by a specific variant, this would be an off-label use. The laboratory would then be responsible for the test’s conformity.

Tip: Provided the manufacturer did not advertise the product with this clinical benefit, it would be adequately protected.

b) Operators

Operators should record exactly for what they use IVDs and RUO products.

Medical laboratories are operators of medical devices and IVDs and, therefore, are responsible for only using medical devices according to their intended purpose and in accordance with the generally accepted rules of the technology. This is stipulated in Section 4 of the German Medizinprodukte-Betreiberverordnung (MPBetreibV).

To be on the safe side, laboratories should keep a record of which medical devices and IVDs are in operation and routine use. This record should include a reference to the applicable test procedure and the intended purpose of the IVD.

This record can also be used to identify investigational procedures for which there are no adequate CE-IVDs available on the market. The lack of alternatives would justify the use of RUOs in validated processes as in-house IVD, provided that the laboratory verifies and demonstrates that the general safety and performance requirements and the additional requirements of Article 5(5) of the IVDR are met.

Read more about the requirements for LDTs in our article .

c) Patients

Patients lack the knowledge to recognize what is and isn’t an RUO on their own. They are often given little to no information about the test they are undergoing. So, patients should follow this basic rule: ask your doctor or pharmacist!

• Patients can ask for the complete test report from the laboratory so that they can get a second opinion in case of doubt. The report should also indicate which specific test was performed.
• Patients should inform themselves about how “well” or “poorly” a test works, as well as the benefit-risk ratio.
• In the future, patients and doctors will also be able to get information about medical devices from EUDAMED and use this information to decide whether or not the test was performed with certified and thus legally compliant IVDs.

6. Conclusion

In the opinion of the EU Commission and the FDA, products “For Research Use Only” have no place in diagnostics. To be used for diagnostic purposes, products have to go through the necessary controls. But these controls do not apply to RUO products.

Anyone who ignores this prohibition and uses or sells RUO products for purposes other than pure research is playing with fire. Manufacturers and operators run the risk of legal trouble and could even endanger patients’ health. Therefore, RUO products should only be used for research purposes. For other uses, manufacturers and operators should use the alternatives mentioned.

If you, as a manufacturer or medical laboratory, find that an RUO product is particularly well-suited for in vitro diagnostics, consider whether further development and conformity assessment to make it an IVD is worthwhile.

Thanks to Dr. Boris Handorn , lawyer and partner at PRODUKTKANZLEI , Augsburg, for his valuable input on this article.

Benefit from the support of our IVD experts:

• They will help you qualify your devices or examination procedures, for example, with in-house workshops on approval strategy and in-house IVDs.
• They provide you with expert opinions on the qualification of your device, which you can submit to your customers and/or notified bodies.
• They support you in all activities up to the “certification” of your device (e.g., performance evaluation) and beyond (e.g., post-market surveillance).

Or use our e-learning platform : Learn how to meet the regulatory requirements and get access to our IVD-specific templates and tutorials on how to get your device approved.

Change history

• 2024-02-01 Complete revision; section “The thing with analyte-specific reagents” removed; shortening of chapter 4 (deletion of subchapters a) to c)); reference to article on general laboratory equipment
• 2021-11-16 First publication

More Articles

Electronic instructions for use for medical devices (EU law) August 22, 2024

I cannot access the specific URL you provided. However, if it’s about “For Research Use Only (RUO)” in regulatory affairs, a comment could emphasize the critical role of clear labeling and compliance in ensuring safety and integrity in research settings, promoting transparency and trust in scientific practices.

Hi RRMA Global,

Thank you for the comment! There seems to have been a mismatch in the links. These should now all be correct.

Kind regards Tea Bodrusic

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French: Reading French for Research Purposes

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* Taught Online *   This intensive course is designed to help students with little or no background in French develop the reading comprehension skills necessary for academic research. To that end, students will work on grammar, vocabulary, and reading strategies. Students will read a range of scholarly texts, a number of which will be directly drawn from their respective areas of research. Some prior experience with French highly recommended.

Remote or Residential

Course considerations.

Students should have completed FREN 13333, FREN 10300, placement into FREN 20100, or the equivalent of one year of introductory French

Course Overview

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Choosing France for your research project

Download our guide: "Research in France" to find out more about French research: how it works, its organisation, the main people and establishments involved.

How public research is organised in France

In France, researchers can conduct their research in different establishments   : public research institutes such as the CNRS, universities, the Grandes Ecoles and the structures of excellence.

In research institutes, researchers work full time and do almost no teaching. On the other hand, in establishments such as the universities, researchers have the professor-researcher status and give classes at the same time as they do research.

In universities, research is conducted in mixed research units comprised of professor-researchers from the university and researchers from research institutes.

To find out more about research in France, download our guide "Research in France" .

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• French Negations

How to say Only in French [+9 Examples & Quiz]

• Sam Denishin
• February 1, 2021

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In this grammar lesson you will learn how to say only in French.

In this lesson you will learn about:

• how to say only in French
• how the negation is used in sentences
• how you can quiz yourself on how to say only in French
• how to practice with flashcards on how to say only in French
• how and why you should use the courses of Language Atlas to learn French

Please refer to the French A2 Curriculum to get a better overview of French grammar, if you are curious about this negation fits in French A2 grammar.

By the end of the lesson you will know all about how to say only in French!

Table of Contents

Only in french with “ne…que”.

“Only” in French can be expressed in the following way:

• ne [ verb ] que = only [verb]

You place the ne…que around a verb to restrict it.

This way you can say “only” in French.

Je ne parle que l’anglais. I only speak English.

Tu n’ aimes que ça ? Do you only like this/that?

Il ne mange que des fruits. He only eats fruit.

Nous ne voulons que vous. We only want you.

Vous n’ êtes que des pions. You are only pawns.

Ils ne boivent que de l’eau. They only drink water.

This is the formal way to say “only” in French.

Only in French with “seulement”

“Only” in French can also be expressed in the following way:

• [ verb ] seulement = only [verb]

Je parle seulement l’anglais. I only speak English.

Il mange seulement des fruits. He only eats fruit.

Ils boivent seulement de l’eau. They only drink water.

This is an easier way to say “only” in French.

You will hear this in informal environments.

Sentences Overview of How to say Only in French

The final section of this lesson on how to say only in French is about seeing the negation in action.

This is valuable because you can improve your understanding on how to say only in French through examples.

Here you can find the sentences of the previous chapters, neatly stored in one place.

Quiz Yourself on How to say Only in French

At the end of every lesson you can do a small quiz.

You will see the sentences of the previous chapter.

You will either need to fill in the blanks, choose the correct multiple choice option, or both.

Once you are done the correct answer will be shown.

You can redo the quiz as many times as you want!

How to Practice With Flashcards for This Lesson

Using flashcards is an absolute necessity when it comes to learning a language!

It is the best way to memorize what you learn, you can personalize your progression because it adapts to your actions, and all flashcards have audio to improve your hearing and pronunciation.

Please read our article on how to learn a new language for more information on flashcards and the best way to learn a new language.

There are two ways to practice with Flashcards for this lesson.

• The Flashcards in our Courses

Anki is a free software with which you can create and practice flashcards.

After you have downloaded Anki , you can get our French A2 Anki Deck .

This Anki Deck contains 3,816 flashcards with which you can practice absolutely everything for French A2.

All the flashcards have text, images, explanations, and audio.

You can also use our courses that have flashcards integrated alongside lessons with audio, quizzes and much more!

However, I am sure you are wondering, what are your courses, and why should I take them?

The Courses of Language Atlas

Have you ever wondered what the best way is to learn a new language?

I have been learning languages for over 20+ years and I was always frustrated with books, courses, and classes that I had tried.

It never really seemed to work for me.

I wanted to learn a language in the most effective and efficient way, and there was nothing out there for me.

So I thought, “ why not make something myself? “.

Using my experience and by doing research I created Language Atlas, a platform where people can learn French and Spanish in the most effective and efficient way.

I created free lessons and quizzes so that there would always be a easy and accessible way for people to learn or brush up on their language skills.

However, I also created courses that are much more comprehensive and in-depth.

These courses are easy to follow, clear, and allow you to become fluent in the most effective and efficient way.

The courses of Language Atlas have:

• 800+ Lessons with audio
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You can register for free and try the French A0/A1 and Spanish A0/A1 Courses for free!

This includes over 60 lessons and quizzes, 500 flashcards that adapt to how you learn, and access to the community (including support from me).

All you have to do is study 30 minutes a day and you will be fluent in no time!

Don’t miss out – register for free and start learning!

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CEFR – The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages

European language students will frequently come across mentions of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, better known as the CEFR. It’s a simple

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Since the Golden Age of Al Andalus, the world has benefitted from many Spanish inventions and discoveries that made our world a better place.     

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French Studies: Topics, Keywords, and Search Tips

From topic to research focus.

Strategy A) To narrow your topic to a researchable question or statement, complete the following statements:

1)  I am researching ________________________ (topic) 2)  because I want to find out ____________  (issue/question) 3)  in order to ________________________ (application/significance).

Strategy B) Making Connections. Complete this worksheet to make scholarly connections between a primary text and related themes.

• Making Connections Worksheet from Duke University's Library 101 Toolkit

These are just two strategies, get more help by making at appointment with a writing tutor at the OWRC.

Find more suggestions from:

• The Odegaard Writing and Research Center Handouts
• Purdue's Online Writing Lab

Understanding Keywords

Keywords  are the essential elements that describe complex ideas and topics; the important, descriptive nouns and verbs. Do not try to search phrases or sentences—find keywords.

Focus on the concepts at the heart of your question first . Using these core concepts you will generate several relevant keywords that will better focus your search results.

5 Steps to Generating Keywords

• Have a well-formed research question
• Extract core terms from this research question
• Brainstorm a list of alternative terms or phrases for each core term
• Organize the list of terms and phrases by creating a hierarchy, indicating broader and narrower terms for each core term
• Identify which terms you would combine to conduct a search

Sample Keyword Brainstorm

Le thème de l' identité dans Moi, Tituba, sorcière-- : noire de Salem de Maryse Condé

Using UW Libraries Search to Find Books and Articles

• Use French keywords to find French-language titles:   français AND identité AND québec.
• By Title  - search for a specific book by title. Type in the first few words of the book title in quotations.  For example:  "language citizenship and identity in quebec  " . 
• By Author  - search for books written by a specific author. Type in the last name followed by the first name of the author in quotations. For example:  "oakes leigh" . 

On the results screen use the "Resource Type" options on the left toolbar to limit your results to print books, eBooks, articles, etc. Note down the library name and call number for books -- you need this information to locate the book.  For articles, click for online access, or request a scan.

Recreate your search in Worldcat to find more if you need to be comprehensive, and request items that we don't own from there.

Evaluating your Sources

• FAQ: How do I know if my sources are credible/reliable?
• ACT UP: Evaluating Sources The ACT UP methods helps to critically evaluate sources. Author, Currency, Truth, Unbiased, Privilege. Infographic by Dawn Stahura.

Organize your Research

• Research Log Template Use Google Docs (or your preferred note-taking tool) to create a research log. Include your search strategies, keywords, databases you’ve tried, as well as citations, quotes and page numbers. It will help you stay organized as you get ready to write your paper.
• Manage your Citations Use Zotero or another tool to store, organize, and share your research citations.

Citing Sources

• MLA Syle MLA (Modern Language Association) Style is widely used in French & Italian Studies and the humanities.
• MLA Style: Citation Examples by Format Example citations for five basic source types, using the MLA's template of core elements.
• Citation Styles & Tools Quick help on citing sources and tools for storing and organizing sources.
• Citation Politics By Dawn Stahura at Salem State University.
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• URL: https://guides.lib.uw.edu/research/french

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▾ Dictionary English-French

Research noun —, recherche f (almost always used), research ( sth. ) verb ( researched , researched ) —, rechercher v (almost always used), faire des recherches v, research and development n —, extensive research n —, research design n —, research agenda n —, body of research n —, research community n —, research team n —, research facility n —, future research n —, research field n —, research subject n —, recent research n —, research unit n —, commissioned research n —, research opportunities pl —, thorough research n —, intervention research n —, research bodies pl —, energy research n —, continuous research n —, fisheries research n —, advertising research be n —, proposed research n —, excellent research n —, nutrition research n —, research mandate n —, genetics research n —, health-related research n —, architectural research n —, fast research n —, right research n —, research basis n —, research aspect n —, ▾ external sources (not reviewed).

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research translation | English-French dictionary

research assistant , research fellow , Medical Research Council , research and development

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