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Health

Health Secretariat of São Paulo banned hospital supplies company caught reusing single-use

03/01/2012

This article was translated by an automatic translation system, and was therefore not reviewed by people.


 


Elaine Patricia Cruz
Reporter Agency Brazil



Sao Paulo - Department of Health Department reported today (29) has interdicted a company that operates in the reprocessing and sterilization of medical products after being spotted by reusing single-use hospital supplies such as syringes and catheters. The company Sterimed Sterilization Services, which has headquarters in Cedral, distant about 425 km from state capital, had their activities suspended indefinitely and banned their products. According to the secretariat, the company can be fined up to R$ 174,800.

The action, which occurred last week, was prompted by allegations that, during the night, the company was the reprocessing of medical devices that could not be reused. During the monitoring company, found five injection syringes, 67 injection and two connectors for vascular catheters, products, according to the department are prohibited from being reprocessed. Also found were products used in the sterilization process with expiry date and reprocessed materials with dirt.

According to the secretariat, single-use can not be reprocessed because they do not give assurance that they are fully decontaminated, cleaned and sterilized. By reprocessing these waste materials may contain blood or secretions that contaminate patients who will use them.

"The reprocessing of some medical and hospital supplies is prohibited by ANVISA [National Health Surveillance Agency]. This type of procedure poses an imminent risk to human health, "said the director of the Health Surveillance Center, Maria Cristina Megid, by note.

According to the department, the company was responsible for the work of reprocessing and sterilization of medical products of various hospitals in the state of Sao Paulo and other states, including Minas Gerais. The Agency Brazil, the company said it provides services to about 150 health facilities, most of them in São Paulo.

The secretariat gave 48 hours for the company to tell how many contracts were kept and which health institutions. Starting next week, the department will begin to inspect the hospitals and health units that held contracts with Sterimed. If they are found in such establishments, single-use materials that have been reprocessed, they can receive warnings, fines or even bans.

The company said the contracts are closed individually with each of the health units. "It is the sole responsibility of the customer, set out in the contract, the request from the reprocessing of single-use articles, both by legal issue, but also the damage that may occur in the material in the sterilization process," reported the Sterimed through note.

The story of Brazil Agency was able to speak with the nurse Nilza de Fatima Andreta Costa, head of technical Sterimed, which the company attributed the ban "an error of interpretation of the law." She said the medical products should not be reprocessed only in cases where there are, on their labels, the phrase "No Reprocess" or if the negative list of ANVISA. "According to the RDC / ANVISA 156 [Board Resolution ANVISA], there are single-use products that can be reprocessed," said Nilza, noting that there is a need for more specific legislation determining what may or may not be reprocessed.

"The company has already taken corrective measures, such as the awareness of customers about the proper disposal of materials that can not be reprocessed. The Sterimed will not make the processing of the material that reach us without the packaging and labels, "said Nilza.

The department said it was investigating the case and the possibility that people have been contaminated because of these irregularities.

Edition: Lana Cristina



Source: Agency Brazil

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This article was translated by an automatic translation system, and was therefore not reviewed by people.

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