The work of a medical equipment trading company (dealer): The problem of reuse of disposable products

Among the medical devices used in hospitals, some are disposable and others are reusable.
In recent years, the reuse of these disposable products (hereinafter referred to as disposable products) has become a problem.
This time, I'd like to talk about this from a dealer's perspective.

rawpixel / Pixabay

Disadvantages of each

First, one of the advantages of disposable products is that they do not require the hassle of washing and sterilizing.
Since each used item is discarded and a new one is opened next, there is no risk of damage due to equipment deterioration or infection due to residual cleaning.

Medical devices used on patients are, of course, contaminated with blood and tissue.
If the items are to be reused, they must be thoroughly cleaned and then sterilized.
Cleaning is time-consuming, and sterilization also incurs costs due to the need for sterilization bags and indicators to guarantee proper sterilization.

However, a disadvantage is that even expensive medical devices must be discarded after a single use, which increases costs.
Even though it requires some effort to clean and sterilize, it doesn't cost as much as buying a new one.
Therefore, from the perspective of medical institutions, disposable items are simply expensive.

Problems with recycling disposable items

ディスポ品を再生することの問題は、まず耐久性についての問題です。
Disposable products are designed for single use only and have not undergone testing to ensure they can be washed, sterilized, and reused multiple times.
Therefore, if equipment is damaged during use due to re-sterilization and results in health problems for patients, the medical institution may be held responsible.
 
 

Next, let's look at the problems related to infection control.
The prion protein, which causes Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, is difficult to inactivate using conventional washing and sterilization methods.
This applies not only to disposable items, but any instrument that has come into contact with the central nervous system, such as the brain, can be a route of infection, so extra care must be taken.

From a manufacturer's perspective, if disposable products are reused, sales will naturally decrease accordingly.
From the perspective of a manufacturer looking to increase sales, it's natural that they would want their products to be used as disposable items for both sales and safety reasons.

However, some medical institutions are independently recycling these disposable items.
Even if there are no reported health problems, news coverage can severely damage a company's image.
The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare has also issued a notice to hospitals instructing them to "use disposable items as disposable items."

Nevertheless, the reuse of disposable items has not disappeared.
The reason is,"Some disposable items are so durable that they can withstand multiple uses, and it's a waste to throw them away after just one use."I think that's because they have that kind of thinking.

Rules for the remanufacturing of disposable items

Therefore, the government has recently begun to take action to legalize the recycling of disposable items, which has previously been done independently by medical institutions.
The approach is not simply to prohibit it, but to ensure that it is carried out in accordance with the rules.

In fact, single-use medical devices are being remanufactured overseas, and several models have been demonstrated.
For example, in the United States, used disposable items are collected by remanufacturers, remanufactured, and then sold to hospitals.
In Germany, the remanufacturing industry appears to be developing through the outsourcing of remanufacturing operations within hospitals.
Of course, if the conditions are met, it is also possible to sell the remanufactured products to other hospitals.
In France, there is a history of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease infections resulting from the reuse of dental supplies, and it appears that the reuse of dental supplies is prohibited under domestic law.

So far, no problems have been reported in any country regarding the use of remanufactured products, and it seems safe to say that there are no safety concerns if the products are properly implemented.

It appears that some companies in Japan have already begun working towards selling remanufactured products in 2019.
 
 

Future Outlook

If the remanufacturing of disposable products is permitted, it could be a major blow to manufacturers that produce expensive, single-use products.
It is said that only about 10% of all medical devices are considered suitable for remanufacturing.
Furthermore, the selling price of remanufactured items in Europe and the US is said to be around 50% to 70% of the original price.
If another company remanufactures our products, a decline in sales is unavoidable.

In fact, it seems that medical device manufacturers in Europe and the United States initially opposed the remanufacturing of the devices.
After the manufacturer acquired the submanufacturer, they apparently stopped opposing it.

If the reuse of disposable items is institutionalized, then many cheaper versions of the original items will likely appear on the market in the form of remanufactured goods.
I have a feeling that manufacturers will start releasing products in the future that incorporate mechanisms and systems that are difficult to remanufacture.

For dealers, the circulation of remanufactured products could lead to a decrease in sales.
However, if the current practice of reusing medical devices independently by hospitals is eliminated, sales are expected to increase, so I think the impact may not be that significant.

In Japan, it will be necessary to pay attention to the government's actions to determine whether the remanufactured products will be sold exclusively to the hospital in question, or whether they will be sold to various hospitals as simply a cheaper version of the original product.