Industry group fights reusing medical devices

Some local Massachusetts hospitals are reusing medical devices in an effort to save money and reduce medical waste. The original medical device manufacturers do not recommend this practice because the medical devices were only designed for one use. Some of the products in question include blades, tracheal tubes, and cardiac catheters. The products are used and then sent to companies which clean and reprocess them so that they can be used again. These reprocessing companies are overseen by the FDA so the hospitals insist that there is no cause for alarm. However, the original medical device manufacturers claim that this is not good enough and these products must be disposed of after each use. Further, the manufacturers would like to see a state law enacted that forces hospitals to reveal if they are using recycled products. Hospitals contend that this proposed law would increase health-care costs and stir up anxiety among patients. While the debate goes on, the Government Accountability Office is reviewing the FDA oversight of the industry.  Read the full article at the Boston Herald.

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