Since 1971, we at ECRI have undertaken comparative evaluations and published recommendations for products ranging from hypodermic needles and rubber gloves to mammography systems and surgical lasers. Even if we began such a program, it would be impossible to sustain it.
Testing is expensive.
Consumer Reports is sold for a very low price to millions of consumers. Our journal Health Devices, which deals with medical equipment, is received by several thousand hospitals at a substantially greater price. We don't believe the scientific community is willing to share the cost of having such information available. Federal agencies are very unlikely to pay for such studies. Our experience is that, on the rare occasion when they do, the reports are gutted to avoid offending industry.