# CE2004070EN.01023201.xml

| 20.3.2004 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | CE 70/232 |
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20.3.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

CE 70/232

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(2004/C 70 E/249)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3177/03

by Dorette Corbey (PSE) to the Commission

(27 October 2003)

Subject:   Reuse of medical instruments and accessories

Subject:

Medical instruments and accessories account for a significant proportion of the costs of public healthcare. Reuse of such instruments and accessories can reduce costs by up to 40 % and has significant benefits from an environmental point of view. However, producers of medical instruments and accessories often mark their products as ‘single use’, preventing reuse and unnecessarily driving up costs. A further negative consequence of this approach is that — in order to save costs — instruments and accessories are often nonetheless reused, without being treated, cleaned or sterilised in a professional manner. A large proportion of hospital infections are believed to be the result of unprofessional reuse of accessories and instruments.

| 1. | Is the Commission aware of the existence of agreements between producers of medical accessories and instruments with a view to marking as many products as possible ‘single use’? |
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1.

Is the Commission aware of the existence of agreements between producers of medical accessories and instruments with a view to marking as many products as possible ‘single use’?

| 2. | Is the Commission prepared to carry out an investigation into such agreements? |
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2.

Is the Commission prepared to carry out an investigation into such agreements?

| 3. | Could the Commission give an indication of the benefits of professional reuse in terms of economic costs, environmental benefits and prevention of hospital infections? |
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3.

Could the Commission give an indication of the benefits of professional reuse in terms of economic costs, environmental benefits and prevention of hospital infections?

| 4. | Is the Commission prepared (possibly within the framework of the thematic strategy for recycling) to promote the reuse of medical instruments and accessories? |
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4.

Is the Commission prepared (possibly within the framework of the thematic strategy for recycling) to promote the reuse of medical instruments and accessories?

Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission

(12 December 2003)

(12 December 2003)

| 1. | and 2. The Commission is not aware of the existence of agreements between producers of medical accessories and instruments with a view to marking as many products as possible ‘single-use’ and has prima facie no reason to examine whether such agreements do exist. |
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1.

and 2. The Commission is not aware of the existence of agreements between producers of medical accessories and instruments with a view to marking as many products as possible ‘single-use’ and has prima facie no reason to examine whether such agreements do exist.

| 3. | The Commission is not in a position to provide indications regarding economic costs and environmental benefits associated with re-use of single-use devices. Hospital infection is a complex issue, of which the use of medical devices is only a component, probably difficult to identify and isolate. |
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3.

The Commission is not in a position to provide indications regarding economic costs and environmental benefits associated with re-use of single-use devices. Hospital infection is a complex issue, of which the use of medical devices is only a component, probably difficult to identify and isolate.

| 4. | The Commission shares the point of view of virtually all Member States that re-use of single-use devices should not be promoted for reasons of health protection. It draws the attention to the fact that through procurement policy, Member States can promote the use of medical devices designed and placed on the market as reusable devices. The role procurement policy and other instruments can play in limiting the generation of waste will be considered in the Commission's Communication ‘Towards a thematic strategy on the prevention and recycling of waste’ (1). However, this strategy will not address re-use of medical instruments and accessories in particular. |
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4.

The Commission shares the point of view of virtually all Member States that re-use of single-use devices should not be promoted for reasons of health protection. It draws the attention to the fact that through procurement policy, Member States can promote the use of medical devices designed and placed on the market as reusable devices. The role procurement policy and other instruments can play in limiting the generation of waste will be considered in the Commission's Communication ‘Towards a thematic strategy on the prevention and recycling of waste’ (1). However, this strategy will not address re-use of medical instruments and accessories in particular.

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(1)  COM(2003) 301 final.

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