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Problems in Medical Devices and Their Impact On The Patients Lives.
Problems in Medical Devices and Their Impact On The Patients Lives.
Problems in Medical Devices and Their Impact On The Patients Lives.
Abstract. This work presents, describes and analyzes the medical equipment. Figure 1 shows the graph of these
ethical problem that is generated from the failures that medical data over time, from 2008 to 2017.
devices can present and their consequences, focusing mainly
on how a device whose objective is to benefit the patient's
health can end up damaging it, to the degree of take his life.
The alternatives for solving this problem will also be
presented, which are based on the NOM-240-SSA1-2012,
Installation and operation of technovigilance. Finally,
arguments are presented in favor of the selected alternative,
some contributions by the author and the role of biomedical
engineering in solving this problem.
Keywords: Technovigilance, NOM-240-SSA1-2012, Medical devices
failures, ethical problem.
Introduction
Since technology has become involved in the field of
health, it has brought many benefits and the impulse of Figure 1.
Deaths and Injuries potentially linked with
more technological advances applied to medicine. medical devices. Source: U.S. Food and Drug
Pacemakers have revitalized or saved the lives of millions Administration, ICIJ analysis.
of patients with heart disease. Orthopedic implants have
gotten millions more back on their feet, even people with On the other hand, CENETEC made a diagnosis
bone cancer[6]. Despite this, there are a large number of of hospital services where it found that around 10%-30%
cases where medical equipment represents a risk to the of the medical equipment installed in Mexico are not
patient rather than a benefit. capable of producing the expected results[1].
Throughout this work, the definition of medical
Ethical Problem.
device granted by the National Center for Health
Technology Excellence (CENETEC for its acronym in Recognizing the scope and relevance of this topic would
Spanish) will be taken: not be possible if only the numbers are shown, it is
important to remember that it is about people, whose
It is the substance, mixture of substances, lives can be significantly changed by errors and failures
material, apparatus, instrument and/or of medical devices, from things as complex as toxicity
software, used in the diagnosis, and biocompatibility of an implant until a failure in the
monitoring or prevention of diseases in batteries of the equipment.
humans or auxiliary in the treatment of In India, Vijay Vojhala, a 44-year-old former
them and of disability, as well as those hospital equipment salesman, received a metal-on-metal
used in the replacement, correction, hip implant from Johnson & Johnson in 2008,
restoration or modification of human subsequently he began to have vision and audition
anatomy or physiological processes[2]. problems, muscular pains, trouble walking and irregular
heart rhythms. In 2010 the device was recalled because it
A data analysis made by the International
was responsible for the poisoning of thousands of
Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) in the
patients. “I’m living an absolute compromised life” said
United States revealed that more than 1.7 million
Vijay and when looking for answers with his surgeon he
injuries and 83,000 deaths[4] are highly related to
commented “I never knew this product was recalled”.
1
On the economic side, manufacturers have paid
A similar case occurred in South Korea, Sang-Ho about $1.6 billion from 2008 to the end of 2018 on
Jeong is living with a recalled hip replacement. charges of corruption, fraud, and other violations in the
U.S. and other countries[6].
“This device ruined my life, I lost my job. In addition to this, companies like Johnson &
I have great limits in exercising everyday. Johnson have paid $4.3 billion[6] to patients who have
I can’t lift up heavy things or even hold been affected by their devices, and evidently only to
up my baby. Patients outside of the U.S those who have realized or have made it known that
and those like me in South Korea don’t their injuries were caused by the devices and not because
know where to go and whom to go to for of their pathology.
compensation” said Sang-Ho.
Infromed Alternative
Charlissa Dawn Boycem, a 27-year-old US The serious social, ethical, and economic consequences
resident, owned an implantable defibrillator from St.
that the postured problem implies are evident and
Jude Medical that had been recalled due to battery
alarming, it is necessary to act in such a way that no
problems. The device failed to get her heart to regain
more lives are lost.
rhythm, causing Charlissa's death. About 350,000 of
Many governments do not regulate medical
these devices were implanted in patients around the
devices, but rather put their trust in European
world before being withdrawn from the market in 2016.
institutions or the FDA[6]. However, Mexico has its own
Renate Scheepers, Vijay Vojhala, Charlissa Dawn
rules, regulations and even Institutions in charge of
Boyce, Marielle Klein, Sang-Ho Jeong, Monique Bock,
regulating medical devices. Such is the case of the
Hadis Brajevic, they are some of the many people whose
Official Mexican Standard related to the Installation and
lives have been changed, or taken away in the worst case,
operation of technovigilance, which can offer a
by the error of a medical device. They all shared their
substantial solution to problems related to medical
stories with the ICIJ[6].
equipment failures.
The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) itself In fact, the purpose of the technovigilance that is
has received reports from patients regarding problems stated in the presentation document of the
with medical devices, one of them[5], received in 2014, NOM-240-SSA1-2012, Installation and operation of
was from a patient with gastroparesis who received an technovigilance is the following:
implant in 2009 of a gastric neurostimulatory device.
The patient had 2 hospitalizations after implantation for Guarantee that the medical devices
high glucose levels and severe heart pain. A few months available on the market work according to
before the patient received the implant, the device had the manufacturer's intention1 of use and, if
been withdrawn from the market and at no time did not, the corresponding actions are taken to
she/he receive any information about this. correct and/or reduce the probability of
recurrence of adverse incidents, thereby
Consequences of the ethical problem seeking to improve protection of the health
The cases above are not isolated or belong only to a and safety of users of medical devices[7].
particular country, it is a real problem that occurs
worldwide. Due to problems of design, labeling, NOM-240-SSA1-2012, Installation and operation of
manufacturing, etc. of medical equipment, the lives of technovigilance. The objective of this standard is to
thousands of people and their families are affected. establish guidelines on which technovigilance activities
By violating the bioethical principles: autonomy, must be carried out in order to guarantee the protection
non-maleficence, beneficence and justice, a of patient health and product safety[7].
dehumanization of these practices is promoted in the In order to unify the application criteria at
field of health and the development of science and national level, aiming to establish safety profiles, the
technology, when in reality its purpose is to improve the active participation and communication of health
quality of life of the human being. personnel, manufacturers and distributors of medical
This also causes a loss of confidence in equipment, authorities and patients is required.
technological advances in the health area, in hospital
services and in medical personnel, which would
represent a significant culture and social problem.
1
The use intention of the manufacturer must be indicated in
the corresponding health authorization issued by the Ministry
of Health.
2
In order for the objective of technovigilance and life-sustaining implants, have specific tracking
its correct application to be achieved, initial notifications procedures in place to ensure companies can quickly
of adverse incidents involving Medical Devices with notify patients and providers of any significant issues,”
health registration in Mexico must be made[7]. Follow-up Janet Trunzo, AdvaMed’s head of technology and
and final reports that include preventive, corrective regulatory affairs said. That is, it is needed to pay
and/or corrective actions for field security carried out attention, invest, and find ways to improve ongoing
both in national and international territory, must be communication with patients.
submitted. The role that biomedical engineers play in
It is necessary for the State Centers to have a solving this problem is of utmost importance, since in
technovigilance project leader. On the other hand, many cases they are the manufacturers of equipment or,
Institutional Centers, that is, hospital and health facilities, as mentioned in the section above, responsible for a
must have a person in charge of technovigilance who technovigilance department.
must be a professional in the field of chemistry, Since biomedical engineers can be the developers
medicine, pharmacy or biomedical engineering[7]. They or manufacturers of medical devices, they have the
may also have a technovigilance committee coordinated responsibility to do the necessary tests and to know and
by the technovigilance manager and made up of a comply with the regulations established so that the
representative from each of the hospital services. equipment represents a benefit for the patient. In
In addition, the author of this work proposes addition to being in constant communication with health
that patients who have received implants of any type be personnel and if possible with patients who use their
monitored and establish constant communication with products, even though this can be difficult, it is part of
them, in this way it will be possible to recognize in time providing quality service and ensuring that it is being
the existence of a problem, or inform the patient if the met the purpose of their career, to improve the quality of
product has been recalled. life of the patient, the person and his safety must always
As the ICIJ has done, a database in Mexico can be the center of all his actions and professional projects.
be generated with the equipment that has been recalled
or that present reports, national or international, and Bibliography
allow patients to have access to this information. [1] Ayala, R. (2020). Clinical engineering in Mexico. Clinical
Engineering Handbook, (pp. 82-86). Elsevier Inc. DOI:
Argumentation https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-813467-2.00010-9
So far, the cases of people affected by errors in medical [2] CENETEC (2016) 2da Ruenión Nacional de Responsables
devices show consequences that are irreparable. With a de Gestión de Equipo Médicos. Secretaría de Salud. Retrived
correct application of the NOM-240-SSA1-2012, it is from: E quipo Médico y Registro Sanitario
possible to prevent a device that is damaged from being [3] Díaz, E. (2018) Estos son los dispositivos médicos
defectuosos en todo el mundo; busque el suyo. Quinto Elemento.
implanted or used in the patient, as this standard
Retrived from Estos son los dispositivos médicos defectuosos
regulates from the design of the devices, labeling, control en todo el mundo • Quinto Elemento. Laboratorio de
processes, manufacturer warnings and materials used, Investigación.
among others, which are the main causes of the recall of [4] Díaz-Struck, E. (2018). New Database Tracks Faulty
medical devices. Medical Devices Across The Globe. International Consortium of
Reports made to the FDA show that the most Investigative Journalists. Retrived from New Database Tracks
common cause of implant removal was related to the Faulty Medical Devices Across The Globe - ICIJ
design of the device, representing 22.7% of the cases, [5] Food & Drug Administration (2009) MAUDE Adverse
followed by control processes with 11.2% and by Event Report: MEDTRONIC ENTERRA THERAPY SYSTEM
discordant material or components representing 9.8% of GES GASTRIC NEUROSTIMULATOR. U.S. Food & Drug
the cases[3]. Administration. Retrived from MAUDE Adverse Event Report:
MEDTRONIC ENTERRA THERAPY SYSTEM GES
Communication and social awareness among GASTRIC NEUROSTIMULATOR
patients, medical personnel and manufacturers is the key [6] ICIJ, (2018) Medical Devices Harm Patients Worldwide
to achieving the correct application of the standard and As Governments Fail On Safety. International Consortium of
preventing more people from being affected by errors in Investigative Journalists. Retrived from Medical Devices Harm
medical devices. Even AdvaMed has highlighted the Patients Worldwide As Governments Fail On Safety
importance of being in contact with patients, but that the [7] Secretaría de Salud, (30 de octubre 2012) Norma Oficial
industry is having trouble contacting them, especially Mexicana NOM-240-SSA1-2012, Instalación y operación de
after recalls[4]. “High-risk medical devices, especially la tecnovigilancia. Diario Oficial de la Federación.
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