The Importance of Medical Devices in Preventing and Fighting SARS-CoV-2

• Autor(a) principal: Portugal de Abreu, Isabel Maria Martins
• Data de Publicação: 2020
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: por
• Título da fonte: Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (Repositórios Cientìficos)
• Texto Completo: https://doi.org/10.25756/rpf.v12i1-2.239

With the outbreak of the pandemic associated with the new coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) and the associated public health crisis, medical devices have assumed an absolute priority in preventing and combating SARS-CoV-2 in terms citizens’ health and safety.The dependence of the eastern markets, accentuated in recent years by an unregulated globalization, caused the shortage of different types of medical devices in the Portuguese market, which led to the mobilization of the competent national authorities, the academy and the national industry in the search for solutions.It is now important to define national strategies to support and develop this sector, which has proved to be of great importance for the Health System.The regulatory framework for medical devices is conditioned by Community Regulations and Directives, started in the 1980s, systematically adapted to the state of the art, with increasingly demanding requirements, establishing rules for technologies with importance in health gains, thus making an essential contribution health care for the benefit of citizens, contributing to investment in health and economic development.The synergy between the main Ministries involved, Ministry of Economy, Ministry of Science, Technology and Higher Education and Ministry of Health and National Industry, is essential to guarantee the transparency and trust of citizens, beneficiaries of the devices, essential to their security and welfare.It is important that the production activity of the national industry is in accordance with best practices and European legislation, as a guarantee of its compliance with safety and performance requirements and as a way of promoting international recognition and easy access to other markets.