ERNEST LANDANTE, JR.

Surgical instruments made to be used once and discarded were being reused, putting patients at risk of injury and infection.

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The Healthcare Institute of New Jersey set out to educate New Jerseyans about this potentially harmful practice and encourage lawmakers and regulators to regulate the reuse of single-use medical devices.

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The Patient Guard campaign began with a news conference to announce several patient advocacy groups supporting greater regulation.

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We regularly sent medical reporters news releases describing the danger to the public and announcing additional groups endorsing rigorous state oversight.

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Hearing the campaign’s message and responding to growing support for stricter regulation, the commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Health and Human Services ordered a department study of the reuse of single-use medical devices.