The suffering they save may be their own: A registry for medical devices in the House’s health reform bill

The U.S. House of Representatives passed the healthcare reform bill (H.R. 3962) over the weekend - an historic achievement. The long bill is being analyzed; one underappreciated piece calls for a national registry for medical devices, in Section 2571, on page 1501.

People like Stephen Csengeri will benefit. The registry will allow for common defects in a specific device to be discovered more quickly, in time to dissuade other patients from using them and suffering similar results.

Bravo to the members of Congress who voted for the bill! The suffering they save may be their own…

Advice to those considering an implanted medical device: For now, you'll need to research the specific make and model of the device on the Internet to learn of any common problems, and ask your surgeon about them.

Read a story about a medical device error.