Putting Used Parts in Your Body

An increasing number of U.S. hospitals are reusing medical devices originally designed for one-time use, Alec Klein of the Washington Post writes in Sunday's paper. To report his article, "Hospitals Save Money, But Safety Is Questioned," Klein sifted through thousands of pages of FDA documents, company records and court filings and interviewed patients, doctors and hospital administrators. He found hospitals reusing these devices despite the warnings of manufacturers, leading to malfunctions in catheters, tracheal tubes and other vital medical equipment. Klein's work is a great example of investigative reporting that might end up saving lives.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/10/AR2005121001213.html?referrer=email