[url]http://www.cnn.com/2011/12/01/health/cnnheroes-medical-supplies/index.html?eref=rss_world&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+rss%2Fcnn_world+%28RSS%3A+World%29[/url]
[QUOTE][B](CNN)[/B] --[B] Doctors will often prepare for surgical procedures by opening instrument and supply kits that contain up to 100 items.[/B]
[B]
Many of these items, such as scalpels, needles or sponges, go unused; they're just not needed for that particular procedure. But because of government
or hospital regulations in the United States, they are frequently thrown away, even when they are still wrapped.[/B]
[B]
"There are thousands of tons of medical supplies thrown away every day that are unused or clearly reusable," said Dr. Bruce Charash, a cardiologist in
New York.[/B]
Fortunately, some nonprofit organizations, including [URL="http://www.doc2dock.org/"]Charash's Doc2Dock group[/URL], are finding ways to salvage these items and get them to people who
need them desperately around the world.
In Uganda, for example, many medical facilities lack the necessary supplies and equipment needed to perform surgery. The outlook is normally grim for
children such as Priscilla, who was diagnosed with a brain tumor when she was 7.
But one Ugandan hospital, CURE Children's Hospital in Mbale, has been able to operate on Priscilla and more than 1,100 other kids thanks to its
partnership with [URL="http://www.medshare.org/"]MedShare, a nonprofit[/URL] that collects surplus supplies and equipment from the U.S.
"Brain tumors happen to children all over the world," said Derek Johnson, executive director of CURE Uganda. "The main difference in Uganda is that
there are so few resources. But we were able to save Priscilla with supplies we get from MedShare."
[B]
'Our trash becomes their riches'[/B]
In the United States, surgical supplies aren't the only useful medical items tossed away.
Richard St. Denis, [URL="http://www.facepunch.com/SPECIALS/cnn.heroes/archive11/richard.st.denis.html"]one of the Top 10 CNN Heroes of 2011[/URL], collects discarded wheelchairs through his nonprofit, [URL="http://www.worldaccessproject.org/"]World Access Project[/URL]. With help from
another U.S.-based nonprofit, Hope Haven, the wheelchairs are refurbished by senior citizen volunteers and prison inmates in Iowa before being shipped
to rural Mexico.
St. Denis first visited Mexico in 1997, and he met many people with disabilities who didn't have access to wheelchairs, walkers or canes.
"I was shocked to see people using branches for crutches, being pushed in wheelbarrows and crawling," said St. Denis, who lost the use of his legs
during a skiing accident in 1976.
Now, he has a permanent residence in Mexico and continues to do everything he can to help the people around him.
"We want to distribute the more than 75,000 wheelchairs we estimate get thrown away in the U.S. every year," he said. "What we call our trash
becomes their riches, and it makes an incredible difference in their lives."
[B]
A win-win for everyone[/B]
In addition to saving lives, there's another benefit to sending unused supplies abroad.
"We are diverting a certain amount of waste that would be landfilled," said Dr. William Rosenblatt, a professor of anesthesiology at Yale University
School of Medicine and founder [URL="http://www.remedyinc.org/"]of the nonprofit Remedy[/URL].
"At the end of a surgical procedure, our staff surveys the scrub table where the kit items remain and segregates all the materials that have been
unused," Rosenblatt said. "It gets sent down to (a) decontamination area, and Yale undergraduate students sort through it and take what is useful.
From here, it is packaged in bulk and given to a charity to be taken overseas."
Sometimes, perfectly good equipment is thrown away.
"Why would (hospitals) throw out a working sonogram machine or a working hospital bed?" Charash said. "One, it's not pretty enough. Secondly, there
might be new technology available. In general, no one wants to use a 2005 (model) if a 2012 is available."
Occasionally, a hospital will simply switch brands and get rid of an entire line of unused items.
Supply manufacturers have been known to send items directly to the nonprofits if a box is so much as dented in transport -- items that could mean life
or death for an individual in a Third World hospital.
[B]"On my first trip to Africa, the hospital director showed me a patient dying of malaria," Charash said. "He showed me a room with hundreds of bottles of
medicine that would save his life, but (the medicine was) not given to him because they had no intravenous lines.[/B]
[B]
"That day, our Doc2Dock container arrived with reconstituted IV lines and 3,000 to 4,000 syringes. The doctor got an IV line, the patient got the
medicine and was saved."[/B]
But while unused medical equipment is saving many people around the world, only a small percentage of hospitals ever actually receive these items.
"If you look at the volume of appeals we get versus the amount we are able to help, we are able to find funding for a quarter of the bona-fide projects,"
said David Pass, chief advancement officer for MedShare. "There is a great need out there."
The effort to find more funding is worth it, said Tanya Weaver of the [URL="http://www.helpchildrenwithaids.org/"]American Foundation for Children with AIDS[/URL]. Her nonprofit works in four African
countries and has been able to help more than 100,000 people there thanks to surplus medical supplies from a couple of hospitals.
"If we can do this with the help of just two U.S. hospitals, imagine how many more could be served if others got involved," Weaver said.
[/QUOTE]
This is a great idea, and I am happy to see that it is effective.
One question remains, however; WHY IN THE FLYING FUCK DO WE THROW OUT PERFECTLY GOOD MEDICINAL ITEMS??!!
What the flying fuck why are we wasting so much useful stuff that's perfectly good
[QUOTE=Glitch360;33647999]What the flying fuck why are we wasting so much useful stuff that's perfectly good[/QUOTE]
Because unfortunately as soon as some 3rd world patient catches MRSA off a contaminated scalpel then the US would be responsible.
It's impossible to screen all unused items for disease - remember that they're still inside hospitals, one of the most unhygienic places with superbugs on the rise. Would hospitals pay for intensive cleaning of all unused equipment?
Alternatively, you could say 'well, only give surgeons the exact equipment they need and send the 'spare' abroad', that would mean customizing kits and equipment for each surgery which would cost a fortune to companies that produce this stuff, and wouldn't allow doctors to MacGuyver as much mid-way if need be.
Producing and throwing away all this equipment is the only way they'll actually get any. For one, reducing kits will just mean they won't receive any 'junk' equipment, and officially donating medical tools allows legal liability and risk which hospitals would never agree to
In essence, it's best the way it is. Sadly.
I assume it's policy to discard kits once they've been opened to protect against contamination.
[QUOTE=Jabberwocky;33648172]I assume it's policy to discard kits once they've been opened to protect against contamination.[/QUOTE]
For good reason. The shit floating in hospitals is not sanitary, that's for sure.
[QUOTE=MrEndangered;33648132]Because unfortunately as soon as some 3rd world patient catches MRSA off a contaminated scalpel then the US would be responsible.
It's impossible to screen all unused items for disease - remember that they're still inside hospitals, one of the most unhygienic places with superbugs on the rise. Would hospitals pay for intensive cleaning of all unused equipment?
Alternatively, you could say 'well, only give surgeons the exact equipment they need and send the 'spare' abroad', that would mean customizing kits and equipment for each surgery which would cost a fortune to companies that produce this stuff, and wouldn't allow doctors to MacGuyver as much mid-way if need be.
Producing and throwing away all this equipment is the only way they'll actually get any. For one, reducing kits will just mean they won't receive any 'junk' equipment, and officially donating medical tools allows legal liability and risk which hospitals would never agree to
In essence, it's best the way it is. Sadly.[/QUOTE]
Which is fine, but the throwing away of equipment like wheelchairs, diagnostic equipment or hospital beds?
I don't think that can justified. Even if the hospital acquires better kit there's always going to be people or organisations that need that sort of stuff.
[QUOTE=Camundongo;33648274]Which is fine, but the throwing away of equipment like wheelchairs, diagnostic equipment or hospital beds?
I don't think that can justified. Even if the hospital acquires better kit there's always going to be people or organisations that need that sort of stuff.[/QUOTE]
Disease.
[QUOTE=Camundongo;33648274]Which is fine, but the throwing away of equipment like wheelchairs, diagnostic equipment or hospital beds?
I don't think that can justified. Even if the hospital acquires better kit there's always going to be people or organisations that need that sort of stuff.[/QUOTE]
What about the existence of super bugs?
[QUOTE=Camundongo;33648274]Which is fine, but the throwing away of equipment like wheelchairs, diagnostic equipment or hospital beds?
I don't think that can justified. Even if the hospital acquires better kit there's always going to be people or organisations that need that sort of stuff.[/QUOTE]
Same thing. Hospitals nor the government would be able, by law (or common sense) to give away this stuff without intensive cleaning. Intensive cleaning is very expensive. You can say 'well it's only a wheelchair what could that do, people need it', but as soon as somebody catches a horrid disease, they'll want somebodies head for giving them a bug-ridden wheelchair or bed.
[QUOTE=Glitch360;33647999]What the flying fuck why are we wasting so much useful stuff that's perfectly good[/QUOTE]
It's the proper thing to do to prevent transmission and contamination, and we can afford it.
[editline]9th December 2011[/editline]
Death rates in past years were astronomical because of infections caused by contaminated foreign objects in hospitals until a single brilliant man ordered his staff to actually [I]wash things.[/I]
The only reason we all live so long is because of radiation-cleaned food and burning every germ that comes near us.
[QUOTE=Swilly;33648294]Disease.[/QUOTE]
From a wheelchair, hospital bed or diagnostic equipment? Which are all used on thousands of patients during their life time?
I know for a fact that between patients, the beds just have their linen stripped, have the matress wiped down with sanitiser and dried, then new bedding. Wheelchairs get wiped down. If diagnostic equipment actually touches patients, then it usually uses easy to clean surfaces or disposable parts.
[QUOTE=Camundongo;33648331]From a wheelchair, hospital bed or diagnostic equipment? Which are all used on thousands of patients during their life time?
I know for a fact that between patients, the beds just have their linen stripped, have the matress wiped down with sanitiser and dried, then new bedding. Wheelchairs get wiped down. If diagnostic equipment actually touches patients, then it usually uses easy to clean surfaces or disposable parts.[/QUOTE]
Yes. But think about it this way; all that equipment that they're just going to give away, it'll be old equipment stored in a hospital store, full of germs and never cleaned. Washing it all properly would take more than a few nurses dabbing a wipe over it. Stuff in regular use is regularly wiped down between patients (Or rather, should be)
America must "help" everyone else before we help ourselves.
[QUOTE=luck_or_loss;33648406]America must "help" everyone else before we help ourselves.[/QUOTE]
I don't understand how an article about America throwing away tonnes of medical equipment for use on American citizens is going to waste and not donating it to non-Americans causes this patriotic spasm.
[QUOTE=mastermaul;33648309]It's the proper thing to do to prevent transmission and contamination, and we can afford it.
[editline]9th December 2011[/editline]
Death rates in past years were astronomical because of infections caused by contaminated foreign objects in hospitals until a single brilliant man ordered his staff to actually [I]wash things.[/I][/QUOTE]
A significant method of AIDS transmission in Africa is through medical equipment.
[QUOTE=MrEndangered;33648390]Yes. But think about it this way; all that equipment that they're just going to give away, it'll be old equipment stored in a hospital store, full of germs and never cleaned. Washing it all properly would take more than a few nurses dabbing a wipe over it. Stuff in regular use is regularly wiped down between patients (Or rather, should be)[/QUOTE]
If it's a store room, why would it full of bacteria and virus? They, generally speaking, come from the patients. Scrubbing the stuff down with disinfectant isn't a hard, labourious process - the same thing happens to the kitchens of every single cafe, restaurant, takeaway, etc every day, if not more often.
There obviously isn't much of a transmission risk if the process already happens. I agree that'd you need extra care to avoid the use of contaminated sharps being used on people, but this does seem like a cost effective way of providing urgently needed medical equipment to places which can't afford it.
If I was running a hospital I'd have to wonder:
Who pays for the employees who have the job of collecting all this stuff EVERY day?
Who pays for the storage till the stuff is picked up?
Who pays for the construction of the storage room to put the stuff?
[QUOTE=cecilbdemodded;33648535]If I was running a hospital I'd have to wonder:
Who pays for the employees who have the job of collecting all this stuff EVERY day?
Who pays for the storage till the stuff is picked up?
Who pays for the construction of the storage room to put the stuff?[/QUOTE]
The non-profits mentioned in the article?
God forbid anything cut into the profits from you overcharging insurance companies who in turn overcharge their customers.
[QUOTE=Camundongo;33648454]If it's a store room, why would it full of bacteria and virus? They, generally speaking, come from the patients. Scrubbing the stuff down with disinfectant isn't a hard, labourious process - the same thing happens to the kitchens of every single cafe, restaurant, takeaway, etc every day, if not more often.
There obviously isn't much of a transmission risk if the process already happens. I agree that'd you need extra care to avoid the use of contaminated sharps being used on people, but this does seem like a cost effective way of providing urgently needed medical equipment to places which can't afford it.[/QUOTE]
I'm sure you understand that care against transmission is more stringent in a hospital setting than in a cafe; especially when hospitals are usually exposed to more dangerous strains of bacteria.
Bacteria gets around and formation of endospores makes getting rid of bacteria completely nearly impossible.
[QUOTE=MrEndangered;33648419]I don't understand how an article about America throwing away tonnes of medical equipment for use on American citizens is going to waste and not donating it to non-Americans causes this patriotic spasm.[/QUOTE]
I jumped to the conclusion that these medical kits were being used in other countries.
[QUOTE=Jabberwocky;33648586]I'm sure you understand that care against transmission is more stringent in a hospital setting than in a cafe; especially when hospitals are usually exposed to more dangerous strains of bacteria.
Bacteria gets around and formation of endospores makes getting rid of bacteria completely nearly impossible.[/QUOTE]
If the care against transmission is so stringent, then where is the danger of donating equipment such as wheelchairs, hospital beds and diagnostic equipment?
It's a simple fact of keeping the damn stuff clean. Yes, there may be a risk in a patient using a reclaimed, cleaned wheelchair. I bet it's awful lot less than using a wheelbarrow or crawling on the ground.
[QUOTE=MrEndangered;33648132]In essence, it's best the way it is. Sadly.[/QUOTE]
Nope.
[url]http://www.xenex.com/?page_id=119[/url]
We've got disinfection tech that could make a lot of this gear safely reusable, but it's not implemented because hospitals in this country play by the low bid book and nobody is willing to take chances with new tech. Proven massive superbug reductions in all implementations from the companies offering such tech, but as always, an effective solution to a problem being present doesn't mean anyone will ever implement it.
[QUOTE=MrEndangered;33648132]
Alternatively, you could say 'well, only give surgeons the exact equipment they need and send the 'spare' abroad', that would mean customizing kits and equipment for each surgery which would cost a fortune to companies that produce this stuff, and wouldn't allow doctors to MacGuyver as much mid-way if need be.
[/QUOTE]
Hardly, just sanitarily package the intruments individually, when a surgery rolls around, have someone collect up stuff they know will be needed, along with things that might be needed, then anything that might have been needed but isn't used, can go back into the storage area ready for use.
[QUOTE]Doctors will often prepare for surgical procedures by opening instrument and supply kits that contain up to 100 items.
Many of these items, such as scalpels, needles or sponges, go unused; they're just not needed for that particular procedure.[/QUOTE]
Wow fuck
make kits smaller then
How fucking hard can it be to pack kits with 25 items which are all commonly used in X procedure instead of all-around packs that get thrown away
[QUOTE=latin_geek;33651865]Wow fuck
make kits smaller then
How fucking hard can it be to pack kits with 25 items which are all commonly used in X procedure instead of all-around packs that get thrown away[/QUOTE]
Back up equipment.
A big operation could use a lot of equipment, and you don't want to run out of sharp scaples or stitches in an operation.
Plus, it says [b]UP[/b] to 100, smaller ops would use less.
Are you guys saying third-world doctors can't clean the shit themselves? Why on earth can't we just send it over with a note saying "We are not responsible for contamination, please clean and sanitize ALL utensils before use."
They're not fucking pigs, they can clean their own tools, we'd just be giving them it. It's not as if these third world hospitals can't get their hands on ammonia or bleach or any other disinfectant. Considering these chemicals are huge exports from the regions and are generally cheap, and if not, they can always be donated for pennies on the dollar.
More data is necessary in my opinion.
I doubt our medical trash is saving as many lives as it is killing in other countries. I know countries like Africa will reuse needles dozens of times without properly sterilizing them. In some areas of Africa one in three people are infected with AIDS. That ends up resulting in so many previously uninfected people getting AIDS when one person with AIDS uses that needle.
[QUOTE=Fahrenheit;33652285]Are you guys saying third-world doctors can't clean the shit themselves? Why on earth can't we just send it over with a note saying "We are not responsible for contamination, please clean and sanitize ALL utensils before use."
They're not fucking pigs, they can clean their own tools, we'd just be giving them it. It's not as if these third world hospitals can't get their hands on ammonia or bleach or any other disinfectant. Considering these chemicals are huge exports from the regions and are generally cheap, and if not, they can always be donated for pennies on the dollar.[/QUOTE]
Not all equipment [I]can[/I] be properly sterilized (lots of plastics for example).
[QUOTE=Master X;33652303]
I doubt our medical trash is saving as many lives as it is killing in other countries. I know countries like Africa will reuse needles dozens of times without properly sterilizing them. [/QUOTE]
That's not the US's fault though
These guys are nice for sending the supplies and the africans are too retarded to clean them or use them once
[QUOTE=Fahrenheit;33652285]Are you guys saying third-world doctors can't clean the shit themselves? Why on earth can't we just send it over with a note saying "We are not responsible for contamination, please clean and sanitize ALL utensils before use."
They're not fucking pigs, they can clean their own tools, we'd just be giving them it. It's not as if these third world hospitals can't get their hands on ammonia or bleach or any other disinfectant. Considering these chemicals are huge exports from the regions and are generally cheap, and if not, they can always be donated for pennies on the dollar.[/QUOTE]
This.
If they're willing to accept this stuff in the first place, they should be completely aware of any threat or problems which MAY arise from sanitation issues and take necessary steps to assure all goes well themselves. If someone catches a nasty disease from medical equipment freely donated to them, demanding the heads of the people who provided them with [I]fair warning[/I] would be ridiculous!
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