Please note: In October and November 2010, the MHRA moved from its Market Towers address to a new location on Buckingham Palace Road. Please go to the contact us section of the website for updated contact details.
Please note that this publication is under review and that printed copies are no longer available.
We will complete the review of this publication once the Department of Health publishes Health Technical Memorandum (HTM) 01-06 - Decontamination of flexible endoscopes - during 2010.
Executive summary
This revised and updated Device Bulletin replaces the Medical Devices Agency's earlier Bulletin MDA DB9607 'Decontamination of Endoscopes' (published in November 1996) and was produced following consultation with a wide range of organisations including:
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The Microbiology Advisory Committee
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Medical and nursing professional bodies
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Endoscope manufacturers
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Automated endoscope reprocessor manufacturers
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Disinfectant manufacturers
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Department of Health
The areas of particular concern addressed in this Bulletin include:
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Types of agent that present an infection risk
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Guidance on reprocessing various types of endoscope
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Guidance on the use of disinfectants.
This Bulletin is intended to offer advice and guidance to both users and manufacturers of devices and reprocessing equipment. It draws together existing advice, with particular reference to disinfectant contact times. Personnel with responsibility for decontamination and infection control may base their processing procedures on this information.
It reviews the use of established disinfectants and processing equipment and provides information on some of the new or emerging technologies available for the decontamination of endoscopes. It provides information on all stages of the reprocessing of endoscopes - from the initial cleaning to storage following reprocessing.
The Bulletin also looks at the health and safety aspects of reprocessing endoscopes and highlights some of the problems that may occur.
DB 2002(05) Decontamination of Endoscopes 
