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CNN WORLD REPORT

Canadian Governmental Study Finds Hospitals Are Reusing Single- Use Medical Devices

Aired September 2, 2001 - 14:33 ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SHIHAB RATTANSI, CNN ANCHOR: Reuse, recycle and reduce -- sounds good in theory, but there is concern that Canadian hospitals are carrying the practice too far. The new government study is finding more and more hospitals in Canada are reusing medical devices designed to be thrown away. As CBC's Chris Goldrick reports, there are fears that patients could be in jeopardy.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRIS GOLDRICK, CBC CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It's a matter of saving money. At the Ottawa Hospital, they have decided it's safe to reuse certain single-use devices such as this disposable oxygen mask.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The important thing is to make sure that we do not at the risk of patients.

GOLDRICK: The Ottawa Hospital does not recycle other disposable instruments, such as some devices used during surgery. But a new Health Canada survey has found most Canadian hospitals do reuse devices intended for single use. The survey shows some disposable equipment is used as many as 20 times. The devices include forceps for collecting tissues samples, catheters for cardiac procedures, tubes for gastrointestinal exams.

The survey's author calls the results "cause for concern."

SHIRLEY PATON, HEALTH CANADA: We did not expect that the reuse to be quite as widespread as it was, we also did not expect as many of the critical devices to be -- being reused.

GOLDRICK (on camera): Discussions about the reuse of disposal medical devices has been going on among health care professionals for years. It is a debate that balances the rising cost of health care against the possible danger of used medical equipment making patients sick.

(voice-over): Medical device manufacturers say devices are labeled as one use for good reason.

PETER GOODHAND, MEDICAL DEVICES CANADA: To avoid cross- contamination, to ensure the safe, effective and predictable performance of that device. GOLDRICK: But hospitals say the manufacturers are often needlessly labeling products one-use, to avoid liability and to increase sales.

Dr. Roth points to one-use plastic bed plans.

DR. VIRGINIA ROTH, OTTAWA HOSPITAL: It's hard to imaging how disinfecting and reusing a bed pan could put a patient at risk.

GOLDRICK: But still, there are no standards for sterilizing disposable equipment. And medical professional are calling for new guidelines for which devices could be safely reused.

The health minister is looking at the issue.

ALLAN ROCK, MINISTER OF HEALTH: To me, the bottom line is patient protection, and that is why we have become involved. It's really a provincial regulation issue, but we would like to see clear lines drawn around this to protect patients in hospitals and in medical facilities.

GOLDRICK: Until that happens, in most parts of Canada it will continue to be up to hospitals to decide which single-use devices are recycled and which are thrown out.

Chris Goldrick, CBC News, Ottawa.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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