Environmental News from the USA:
New UK government plans to strengthen medical device regulations to reduce their environmental impact and improve patient safety have been welcomed by one legal expert.
Helen Cline of Pinsent Masons said: “While medical devices are highly regulated to ensure safety and efficacy of the products and minimise the risk of harm to users and patients, the broader impacts of these devices on the environment and public health generally have not been an issue considered as part of the regulatory process. It is encouraging to see these issues being explored as part of this review of medtech regulation in the UK.”
In its response (155 pages / 1.25MB PDF) to a public consultation on a new UK medical technology (medtech) regulatory framework, the government said that respondents expressed a “high degree of interest” in environmental sustainability. However, some also raised important safety concerns, and noted that caution should be exercised when introducing new measures. Ministers said that they sought environmental outcomes that “compliment or enhance” patient safety, which they said remained their top priority.
To read top environmental news from the USA, please visit https://earth5r.org
Source: Pinsent Masons