HIDA Urges Thoughtful Approach To Sterilization Of Medical Devices
Alexandria, VA, June 28, 2023 – The Health Industry Distributors Association (HIDA) today released its public comment letters to the Environmental Protection Agency, urging a thoughtful approach to regulation of ethylene oxide (EtO) gas in medical sterilization in a manner that safeguards the medical supply chain.
In its comment letters to EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan, HIDA noted that “Healthcare distributors also want to protect public health, and to do so they must be able to deliver sterile critical medical products to providers without interruption in the supply chain. Regulatory policies that limit or abolish the use of EtO as a sterilization agent would have a profound negative effect on healthcare providers and patients.”
Furthermore, HIDA stressed that “Any changes to EtO policies must include a realistic and feasible plan to anticipate and address any potential product disruptions and patient care. Disruption at even a single sterilization facility can have a magnified impact across the country as devices sterilized in one facility support patient care in all 50 states.”
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About HIDA
Health Industry Distributors Association (HIDA) represents the healthcare distribution network – the essential link between global healthcare supply manufacturers and local care providers. HIDA members operate more than 500+ distribution centers to bring critical products, supplies, and services to more than 560,000 healthcare settings across the U.S., including hospitals, long-term care, physician practices, home care, and laboratories. Visit HIDA.org.