For years, we have chronicled common
anti-reprocessing tactics and how to combat them. We believe some of these tactics may rise to the level of anti-competitive behavior and urge those who have experienced the below examples to report them on the FTC portal.
1. Original equipment manufacturer (OEM) “Chipping,” or use of ePROMs, specifically to render reprocessed single-use devices (SUDs) inoperable.
2. Similarly, OEM “updating” software that disables the use of reprocessed devices on hospital generators and consoles without hospital permission or notification, or, by misleading hospital personnel as to true nature or the anti-reprocessing impacts of such “upgrades.”
3. OEM threatening of voiding of warranties or case support when reprocessed SUDs are used in a procedure.
4. Unfair contracting such as restricting hospitals’ ability to reprocess in exchange for discounts, or “free” equipment in exchange for minimum purchasing requirements which undermine reprocessing programs.
5. Price gouging: for example, in the EP space, a several fold price increase for the reprocessable version of a device intended to push hospital towards the non-reprocessable version of a similar device.
6. Interference with hospital assets such as replacing cables without hospital permission as a way to make reprocessed SUDs inoperable; moving or rearranging hospital stock of reprocessed SUDs to push hospital use of only new SUDs; moving/hiding SUD reprocessing collection containers and/or disposing of the contents of the bins; finally, instruction to surgical or EP physicians to destroy hospital medical devices assets to prevent reprocessing.
These kinds of practices cost health systems and patients, they weaken supply chains, and they contribute to climate change.
If you or someone you know has witnessed or been impacted by any of the above practices, we hope that you will take this opportunity to tell the government about it.
Click here to submit your comments to the FTC.
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