Replies to LegCo questions

LCQ2: Medical devices used in public hospitals

        Following is a question by the Dr Hon Joseph Lee and a reply by the Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food, Dr York Chow, in the Legislative Council today (February 2):

 

Question:

 

        It has been reported that there had been cases where medical devices intended for single use were reused in public hospitals.  The reuse of such devices may enhance the cost-effectiveness but at the same time will increase the risk of infection on patients.  In this connection, will the Government inform this Council whether it knows:

 

(a) the total number of times the public hospitals reused such devices in the past four years, together with a breakdown by the types of devices;

 

(b) the procedures for sterilising the devices in question for reuse and the results of risk assessment on patients becoming infected due to the reuse of these devices; and

 

(c) whether the patients will know before receiving treatment that it involves the reuse of such devices; if not, the reasons for that, and whether they have the right to choose whether or not to accept the reuse of such devices; if they do not have such right, the reasons for that?

 

Reply:

 

Madam President,

 

(a) Medical devices labelled by their manufacturers as single-use items are commonly known as Single-use Devices (SUD).  At present, most SUDs would be discarded by public hospitals after a single use.  However, the Hospital Authority (HA), through professional judgement and careful selection, considers that some SUDs can be reused in a limited manner after sterilisation.  

 

        There are currently over 600 types of SUDs that are being reused in public hospitals.  Due to the relatively large number of such devices, the HA cannot provide a detailed breakdown of the number of reuse by the type of SUDs. 

 

(b) In a hospital's normal operation, many medical devices can be reused many times.  To ensure patient safety, there are existing procedures, guidelines and standards within the HA on the proper processing and sterilisation of these devices after use.  These procedures, guidelines and standards are applicable to all medical devices, including SUDs.  The procedures for sterilising SUDs are the same as those applicable to other devices. 

 

        The HA considers that through careful selection, risk assessment and proper processing after use, SUDs labelled as such can still be reused in a limited manner safely.  The HA has made reference to the relevant experience of advanced countries.  There is no conclusive evidence showing that the appropriate reuse of SUD would increase the risks (including the risk of infection) for patients.

 

(c) Experts at the HA have carefully assessed the risks of reusing SUDs.  Public hospitals also carry appropriate inspection on these devices before reuse, so as to ensure their proper operation.  Since reusing SUDs with these safeguards would not result in any apparent increase in the risks for patients, there is no need for public hospitals to inform them of such arrangements specifically.  In actual operation, it is also not known to frontline healthcare staff as to whether the medical devices to be used in a medical procedure are being used for the first time or not.

 

        Under the currently system, patients do not have the right to specify the types of medical devices that must be used or not to be used in their treatment by public hospitals.  The responsibility of the HA is to provide patients with profession medical services.  This includes using medical devices in a safe manner.  Therefore, the HA has the responsibility to ensure the safety of reusing SUDs in public hospitals.  With their safety assured, the interest of patients is reasonably protected.

 

Ends/Wednesday, February 2, 2005

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