The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are alerting healthcare providers and facilities about the public health need to properly maintain, clean and disinfect or sterilize reusable medical devices. Recent infection control lapses due to non-compliance with recommended reprocessing procedures highlight a critical gap in patient safety. Healthcare facilities that utilize reusable medical devices are urged to immediately review current reprocessing practices at their facility to ensure they are complying with all steps as directed by the device manufacturers, and have in place appropriate policies and procedures that are consistent with current standards and guidelines.
