Single-use devices: reuse regulation policies and implications for public health

Abstract

The reuse of single-use medical devices implies health safety. This study examines regulatory systems for the reuse of single-use medical products internationally. It is an integrative review, with specific descriptors, with no restriction on the year of publication. The search for data, between October and December 2017, included 23 studies. The reuse policies for 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 national level, as in Canada. These policies focus on pre-marketing regulation, are structured in the classification of products, with issues related to the product label, whether multi-use or single-use, a key point of the dilemma of this reuse. This study points out 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 and endowed with strong power resources such as the medical products industry.