The European Association for Medical Device Reprocessing (EAMDR) is organising seminar in the European Parliament in Brussels on 28 January 2003. The event aims to shed some light on the various aspects of this sometimes technical and complex issue.
Some devices, both single-use medical devices and those marketed as reusable, have been reprocessed in-house by hospitals and other treatment facilities for decades. An industry of third-party medical device reprocessing companies has developed within the last 10 years, first in the United States and later also in the European Union. The practice of reprocessing of medical devices has raised public health concerns, primarily regarding the potential risks of infection and device malfunction. But there are many differences in the way that this issue is addressed throughout the EU and there is pressure to develop Europan standards and legislation.
The seminar will cover the technical aspects of re-processing, the benefits, quality assurances and liability issues. Experience will be shared from German hospitals and on legislative rules in Germany and Denmark. Information also will be provided on the US regulation and re-processing.
