AMDR
also pollutes the air with toxins known to give people asthma and cancer – so , what ’ s the answer ?
“ We need to do no harm by our greater patient populations by not contributing to global warming and creating adverse health outcomes associated with burning medical waste ,” says Vukelich .
Right to Repair and the circular economy The issue of Right to Repair relates to extending the value of existing products by giving consumers the right to repair ( or reprocess ) products , without interference by the original manufacturer . Obviously , this means that those who make and trade products lose out on selling new items . As such , some manufacturers have worked hard to prevent customers from repairing their products . Vukelich believes that hospitals should be viewed as consumers of health products and therefore have a right to repair their medical devices when they break or have them repurposed .
“ Hospitals own the products . They deserve to have the right to repair them ,” he says . “ Reprocessing offers up a safe , regulated means to extend the lifespan of existing assets . AMDR is aligned with the fundamental interests of the Right to Repair movement .”
AMDR is also interested in efforts used by manufacturers to artificially limit the lifespan of products .
“ We call it ‘ forced obsolescence ’. Chipping a device to turn off after one use just drives up the cost of care , creates waste , emissions and makes us more vulnerable to device shortages ,” says Vukelich . “ We need to stop this behaviour , instead rewarding companies
92 March 2023