The reuse of single-use medical devices implies health safety. This study analyzes regulatory systems for the reuse of single-use medical devices at an international level. It is an integrative review, with specific descriptors, with no restriction on the year of publication. The data search, between October and December 2017, included 23 studies. The reuse policies of these products vary between countries, with norms legitimizing these practices, such as the North American and German, restrictive norms and regulations that do not exist at the national level, as in Canada, Japan and Europe. These policies are centered on pre-marketing regulation, structured on product classification, with issues related to product labeling, whether multi-use or single-use, a key point in the dilemma of this reuse. This study points to the need to restructure policies for the reuse of single-use products regarding the classification of these devices, as well as the adoption of mechanisms to clarify the label of these products. It highlights the internal and external constraints that involve the development of health policies and the role of the State in preserving the health rights of its citizens, to the detriment of private interest groups endowed with strong resources of power, such as the medical products industry . . .
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English translation courtesy of AMDR
