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Following a two-day summit convened by the FDA and AAMI in October 2011, AAMI released a post-event publication in December 2011 that captured the essence of the summit, outlined the priorities, and established a path forward.

I have been around long enough to see many changes in the way items are processed for reuse in healthcare. Years ago, cleaning, packaging and sterilization took place in many different locations throughout a healthcare facility. Most of the time, these functions took place in the user departments, and the thought of centralizing these functions was not always met with enthusiasm. It was difficult for the end-user to envision someone else processing items that were essential to their delivery of quality patient care.

It is illegal in some parts of the country to dump used OPA or glutaraldehyde down the drain without neutralizing it first. It is a popular misconception that used OPA or glutaraldehyde is no longer dangerous (biocidal) after it has passed its reuse date or it has failed a MRC test. Not only can used disinfectants adversely affect the sewer system, but they can be dangerous to the healthcare worker as well.