In an effort to curb the use of ethylene oxide (a known carcinogen) in the sterilization of medical instruments, the FDA has forced the closure of a number of facilities that specialize in this important task. According to the FDA “More than 20 billion devices sold in the U.S. every year are sterilized with ethylene oxide, accounting for approximately 50 percent of devices that require sterilization.”
Yesterday, the Food and Drug Administration issued a statement recommending medical facilities check their inventories of medical instruments and stock pile enough to see them thorough an expected shortage.
The FDA is also encouraging those affected to attend a “public advisory committee meeting” on November 6 and 7 to discuss “how best to encourage innovation in medical device sterilization.” More
WTF? Is ethylene oxide a carcinogen if you drink it? If you take a bath in it?
The FDA is absolutely corrupt. It bans really helpful stuff and allows the most harmful. Sterilizing instruments is absolutely required and how can ethylene oxide possibly cause cancer any more then dishwasher detergent that is used for cleaning, and not internalized? My uncle died from sepsis poisoning because his surgery was done with not sterilized instruments, unknown by the surgeon at the time. So there will be no surgery done if the questionably sterilized tools are the only ones available? FDA bending over backward to find ways to kill Americans off?
the article states: “… there are concerns associated with release of ethylene oxide into the environment if emissions were to occur at unsafe levels.
see? …. ‘concerns’, not any proof of it actually harming anyone … no stated cases of cancer … just ‘concerns’ ‘if’ something could happen
can you say “manufactured crisis”? betcha can!
so just let all those peasants wait for procedures. who GAS about those suckers anyway? we’ll just suck all their money in taxes & enslave them w/ Single-Payer.
What a crock of shit! Gas Claves have been in use almost as long as I’ve been alive. It’s like that gluten bullshit we’ve been eating it for thousands of years, now all of a sudden it’s bad for you? Somebody needs to clamp down on these control freak assholes in Govt.
The only GOOD thing I read so far today is the one about cholesterol being good for you!
Love me some Bacon!
Scheeze, I just made an appt with a knee surgeon for the end of next month. I might as well say my goodbyes to you all before I go in for surgery if he thinks I am a candidate for the surgeries.
This probably means we should sell stock in companies that make plastic non-disposablet surgical instruments and buy stock in companies that manufacture autoclaves.
So much for the flexible colonoscopy and back to riding the SILVER STALLION!
I thought we were still using autoclaves. Whoops!
The stuff my wife uses at work is single-use, so even she doesn’t use such things… but she did use autoclaves at a former job.
I forget that we have been in the workforce for enough years to see methods completely sublime into history.
“We are going to let you die so we don’t risk doing something that might kill you.”
So, the government knows best now does it? Did you research that or is it from CNN or Calcuttafornia?
“ethylene oxide (a known carcinogen)”
Known to whom?
A group of lawyers that convinced a lo-fo jury?
“… if emissions were to occur at unsafe levels …”
That’s even true with water. ANY fucking substance on Earth is dangerous “if emissions occur at unsafe levels” – by fucking definition!
Doesn’t “unsafe” mean … well … UNSAFE?
What a crock of sophomoronic BULLSHIT! And this passes for scholarship?
It’s no wonder that clapping and barking seals show up at every Demonrat meeting!
izlamo delenda est …
Back when I toured a organ donation lab, EO was used to completely render bone tissue biologically inert so it can’t transfer any organisms or live cells to the recipient. Shit kills everything.
If they have to use something else, hope it’s not like the R-12 refrigerant replacements…