Belgium Allows Reprocessing Of Single Use Devices And Relaxes In-House Manufacture Rules

14 Apr 2020

The shortage of medical equipment to manage the COVID-19 pandemic is leading many countries to take measures to allow unregulated devices onto the market. Belgium is creating its own solutions.

The Belgian government has issued a circular allowing hospitals to reprocess some single-use devices under certain conditions to address urgent equipment needs in the context of the COVID-19 crisis. The circular also allows its hospitals to subcontract “in-house” manufacture of medical devices, in vitro diagnostics (IVDs) and accessories to third parties

The document on reusing single-use devices, issued by the Federal Agency for Medicines and Healthcare Products (AFMPS) , says these...