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Disposable needles to be used for acupuncture
(eastday.com)
Updated: 2004-08-06 09:03
Hospitals are expected to use disposable needles for acupuncture before the
end of this year.
The Shanghai Health Bureau is drafting the regulation and discussing the
relative cost issues.
Medical experts also warned residents about needles used in clinics or beauty
parlors that operate without a medical permit. Such places are popular for
providing weight loss services through acupuncture.
Acupuncture requires needles to penetrate the skin. If they are not properly
disinfected, the devices can spread diseases like hepatitis B and HIV.
"Most hospitals use needles repeatedly while they do not enforce strict
disinfection procedures like putting the devices in boiled water," said Ji
Weiping, director of the health bureau's traditional Chinese medicine
department. "To enhance safety and prevent infection, we will promote disposable
needles."
The bureau is discussing with the local Price Bureau and Medical Insurance
Bureau about the cost and payment plan for the needles.
Ji said one acupuncture treatment session requires 15 needles, and they are
considering to charge patients about 3 yuan (36 US cents) for those disposable
needles per session.
"Though it is not expensive, we still should hold a hearing and discuss
whether the expense is shared by medical insurance companies or passed on
completely to patients."
If the regulation is passed, all state-owned and private hospitals as well as
licensed clinics must follow it.
Officials, however, are worried about the difficulty in detecting and
regulating beauty parlors or unqualified clinics, which give acupuncture without
permit. They asked people to be cautious.
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