On February 23, as reported by Red Star News, NPC representative Liang Yijian shared some eye-opening figures in an interview: "An ultrasonic bone-cutting blade costs 6,000 yuan each. Last year, my orthopedic department performed 600 surgeries—meaning we used 600 blades, totaling 3.6 million yuan. Plus, other departments like general surgery also rely on these high-value consumables. So, how many hospitals and departments across the country are using them?"
　　As early as the 2018 and 2019 National People's Congress sessions, Liang Yijian proposed suggestions and a motion advocating for the reusable use of certain single-use medical consumables. Liang Yijian told reporters that this proposal was approved last January.
　　“Last year, our orthopedic department performed 600 surgeries,” Liang Yijian told Red Star News reporters in an office within the orthopedic ward. Over the course of his long clinical practice, he’s often noticed that the ultrasonic bone-cutting tips—priced at 6,000 yuan each—can only be used once, placing a financial burden on many patients while also leading to unnecessary waste of medical supplies.
　　"Now, hospital infection control technology is already highly advanced. The ultrasonic bone scalpel tips are made of metal and can be repeatedly sterilized for reuse. However, since they’re mandated for single-use only—even if you use them for just one second on the operating table, you still have to discard them afterward. A single surgery typically costs less than 6,000 yuan, yet an individual ultrasonic bone scalpel tip alone can cost as much as 6,000 yuan. It’s truly a huge waste," explained Liang Yijian. "There are many materials like this; in fact, the vast majority of them could actually be safely sterilized and reused multiple times."
　　Therefore, Liang Yijian has continuously proposed to three key government departments over the past three years: recommending that certain single-use medical consumables could be reused. He first approached the Health Commission, followed by the Medical Insurance Administration, and finally the National Medical Products Administration. Yet none of these departments was able to fully address the issue. Additionally, during the Two Sessions in both 2018 and 2019, he again put forward proposals and motions advocating for the reuse of select single-use medical supplies.
　　"Three departments—this is something I proposed once a year, and it was approved last January," Liang Yijian explained. "The relevant national authorities have decided that partial, one-time use is now permitted."
　　In fact, aside from high-value disposable consumables like ultrasonic bone scalpel tips, certain non-implantable, high-value ophthalmic surgical instruments have also become a focal point of controversy.
　　In February 2021, in response to a proposal from representatives suggesting "adjusting the list of single-use high-value ophthalmic surgical instruments by removing certain non-implantable items," the National Health Commission clearly replied: "In practice, there are indeed some medical consumables that can be reused."
　　However, whether medical consumables are intended for single-use is determined during the registration approval or filing process. Therefore, the National Health Commission stated that it will actively collaborate with the National Medical Products Administration to update the catalog of single-use medical devices, ensuring a balance between the safety and cost-effectiveness of reusable versus single-use medical equipment—and ultimately helping to reduce resource waste.
　　Next, the National Health Commission will focus on several key areas. First, it recommends that the drug regulatory authorities require or encourage companies to develop and produce reusable medical consumables when approving medical devices for market release. For items that cannot be reused, efforts should be made to prioritize alternative products or materials, while avoiding the imposition of unnecessary technical barriers. Second, the Commission will work closely with the drug regulators to strengthen research and evaluation, ensuring that devices capable of being safely and effectively reused during clinical procedures are excluded from the list of single-use medical devices—thus supporting standardized, safe, and efficient clinical practices involving device reuse.
　　It’s clear that the National Health Commission has taken a proactive stance on this issue, but at this stage, there are still numerous challenges hindering the reuse of single-use, high-value medical consumables—problems that cannot be resolved simply by the commission issuing a single "encouragement."
　　First, there’s the issue of safety. In our country, hospital infection control technologies are still not fully developed, making it difficult to safely reuse single-use medical devices. This isn’t just about ensuring proper cleaning—more critically, determining their key performance characteristics carries even greater risks, directly impacting patient safety.
　　Currently, there are still numerous cases in domestic hospitals where the reuse of single-use medical supplies leads to cross-infections, ultimately resulting in medical accidents. This issue is largely attributable to the ongoing imperfections in China's hospital disinfection management system. As a result, the reuse of high-value, non-implantable single-use medical devices remains a significant barrier.
　　Additionally, there’s the issue of cost-effectiveness. As the National Health Commission clarified, whether medical consumables are intended for single-use is determined during the registration, approval, or filing process—that is, it’s ultimately decided by the medical device companies themselves.
　　It is well known that single-use medical devices are much easier to get approved compared to reusable ones—resulting in faster time-to-market and quicker return on investment. This is especially true for high-value medical consumables, which often require lengthy R&D periods and substantial financial investments; in such cases, the combination of being single-use and priced highly clearly represents the optimal solution for manufacturers seeking maximum profitability.
　　So obviously, unless the government funds companies to develop these products and offers substantial incentives, it will be difficult to motivate businesses to proactively invest in R&D for reusable, high-value medical consumables!
　　Additionally, regarding this issue, Shen Chenyang, Deputy Director of the Vascular Surgery Center at Fuwai Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, once stated: "Rather than relying on economic measures to address the problem, it’s better to encourage domestic medical device manufacturers to develop lower-cost products, thereby resolving the price-related challenges."