A senior Lebanese physician has raised alarm over the use of defective bone surgical implants in Lebanese hospitals, warning of infections and potential sepsis.
Professor Raouf Rida, head of the Lebanese Medical Social Association and member of the physicians' union council, said bone prostheses being used in orthopedic surgery include expired units, devices that have been reused after washing, and implants with falsified countries of origin.
Rida stated that bone surgical implants are designed for single use only and must be sterile and within their designated expiry date. Using expired implants or reusing them after washing can cause serious infections that may in some cases result in death from blood poisoning, he said.
Rida called on the judiciary to identify those involved in the practice and impose severe penalties on anyone profiting at the expense of public health. He questioned the role of regulatory bodies, selling companies, hospitals and relevant health ministry departments in allowing the practice to continue.
The case follows earlier reports of counterfeit cancer medicines circulating in Lebanon. Rida warned that the situation reflects dangerous lack of oversight in the health sector and raised concerns about further health scandals emerging.
