Abstract
Medical devices are highly regulated to ensure safety and efficacy of the products and minimize the risk of harm to users and patients. However, the broader impacts of these devices on the environment have scarcely been questioned until recently. The United Kingdom National Health Service intends to achieve a “net zero” emissions service by 2040 and has identified specific targets to achieve through this process. However, medical device manufacturers do not see sufficient incentives to invest in reducing greenhouse gas emissions unless enforced by legislation. Furthermore, there is little evidence on the legislation required to reduce emissions from medical devices. This study addresses the relationship of medical device regulations and the environmental impact of the devices throughout their lifecycle. A scoping review was conducted on academic literature on the topic, followed by a critical review of the current medical device regulations and associated guidelines in the United Kingdom. The challenges to regulating environmental impact of medical devices were identified under seven themes. These challenges were contextualized with the National Health Service target of achieving zero emissions by 2040. The review indicates that current guidelines support single-use disposal of devices and equipment as the best approach to prevent pathogen transmission and landfilling and incineration are the most used waste management strategies. Manufacturers need to be guided and educated on reducing their emissions while ensuring the development of safe and effective devices.
Highlights
The growing evidence of rising greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the medical device industry, and the paradox of harm to the individual versus harm to the environment of the population questions which strategies will tackle the inertia against ecodesign of medical devices
This study identified the various challenges to regulating environmental impact of medical devices and how the current regulations can affect environmental sustainability of this industry
There is limited evidence to suggest that regulation will help limit environmental impacts, and it may lead to manufacturers hiding the dangerous environmental impacts of their trade
Summary
Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. Among many reasons for these emissions is the increasing adoption of single-use medical devices, primarily disposed of through incineration or landfilling. The result of this cradle-to-grave lifecycle is not just the emissions generated and the air, water and soil pollution, damage to biodiversity and contribution to climate change [5,7]. This study explores the existing literature on the relationship between medical device regulations and the environmental impact from medical devices in the UK. The study uses academic literature, existing medical device regulations in the UK and the associated guidance provided by the Government of UK to scope the relationship between regulations and the environmental impact of medical devices. The following sections detail the methods used for the scoping review, an assessment of the challenges to regulating environmental impact of this industry and opportunities for further research and ways in which the government can promote the ecodesign of medical devices
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.