ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS IN THE SOUTH AFRICAN MEDICAL EQUIPMENT AND DEVICES ARENA

Authors

  • T Vogt SAMED

Keywords:

code, marketing, perverse, health care professionals

Abstract

There are presently no regulations regarding the sale and use of medical devices in South Africa apart from electro-medical devices, which are regulated by the Directorate of Radiation Control, an agency of the National Department of Health, and combination products, with a medicine component, which are regulated by the Medicines Control Council of South Africa.

It is concerning that in recent years a number of international medical device companies have been implicated, along with health care professionals, in unethical behaviour / business dealings. To this effect, and in the absence of regulations, the South African

Medical Device Industry Association (SAMED), a not for profit organization that represents the interests of the medical devise industry in South Africa (SA), developed a code of ethical marketing and business practice that reflects the unique and complex interactions between medical device companies and health care professionals. The code draws heavily from international ones; it attempts to address the complexity of medical technology and the importance of having health care professionals understand how to use the technology safely and effectively.

 

Author Biography

T Vogt, SAMED

SAMED Chief Operating Officer

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Published

2011-11-16

Issue

Vol. 49 No. 2 (2011)

Section

Article of Interest

License

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