Ban reuse of needles between parients?

April 21, 2004

Hi All,

IMO, State Acupuncture Regulation Authorities and National

Acupuncture Societies in the West should make an unambiguous

statement that outlaws the reuse of needles [including 7-Star,

Plum Blossom and Hammer Needles] between patients.

IMO, Members found by their State Acupuncture Authority to have

broken that code without grave reason should have their licence to

practice revoked. The Authority should make that fact known to the

public media.

In countries where a licence to use acupuncture is not required, the

National Acupuncture Society, (or, if that does not exist, the

Medical Disciplinary Board) should ajudicate on claims of such

negligence and report its findings in the public media.

Doug wrote:

> My assumption is that [the acupuncture needles] are autoclaved

> after each use. Am I correct Attilio?

Attilio replied:

> Yes, they are probably autoclaved, although i haven't seen it as

> yet, then they go back in the pin cushion until they are used. The

> 7 star hammer needles are also probably autoclaved although

> throughout the day they are stored in a jar of surgical spirit

> until needed. ... Of course this and the other methods of

> sterilisation are inadequate, but that's the way things are in

> China. I think this has to do with cultural issues to a degree and

> more to do with education. Now there are diagrams above sinks

> instructing practitioners to wash their hands because of SARS,

> therefore it probably wasn't there before.

AP needles cost only a few cents each. Why put the patient at risk

for a few cents? With AIDS, hepatitis, CJD and probably other

unrecognised transmissible diseases in the background, IMO

needle reuse, even after autoclaving, is unacceptable.

Attilio wrote:

> A few cents is a lot of money in China, hence needles are reused.

Access to medical instruments, equipment and drugs is a huge

problem in economically poorer nations. But I question the wisdom

of needle reuse, especially in China! It manufactures needles by

the million and I feel sure that the hospitals can buy them in bulk at

rock-bottom cost.

IMO, needles should NOT be reused BETWEEN patients. In poor

nations, I could accept attempts to clean and sterilise needles

provided they are given to the patient for later reuse in the SAME

patient.

IMO nations that can afford the few extra cents should LEGISLATE

and ACT eliminate all risk of cross-infection via needles. This

assumes that the needles are sterile in the first place, and not

contaminated after removal from their blister packs by the operator

or the environment in the clinic.

This raises another question. If hygiene in Chinese hospitals is so

slack, can we TRUST the claims of Chinese needle manufacturers

that the needles REALLY are STERILE in their blister packs?

Best regards,

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April 22, 2004

Hi all,

Yes Doug IS correct, the needles are autoclaved after use, although I really

don't think the 7-star hammer needles are as the handles are plastic.

Anyway, cross use of the hammer needles does take place where I have seen,

although they are soaked in surgical spirit between use. Although the

needles are autoclaved, they all go back in the pin cushion, which is a

little worse for wear.

Kind regards

Attilio

Chinese Traditional Medicine