Rep. Foushee Introduces Legislation to Reduce Medical Waste and Advance Sustainability in Health Care

DURHAM, NC (August 14, 2026) — Yesterday, Congresswoman Valerie Foushee (NC-04) introduced the Sustainable Hospitals Act , legislation directing the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to study whether certain medical devices currently designated for single use could be safely reprocessed and reused. “Every year, our health care system throws away enormous amounts of material, and we should be looking for smart, safe ways to reduce that waste,” said Congresswoman Valerie Foushee . “If we can safely reprocess and reuse certain devices, we can cut medical waste, lower costs, and make our health care system more sustainable. I’m proud to introduce the Sustainable Hospitals Act to take a closer look at this opportunity while keeping patient safety at the center.” Hospitals and health care systems generate significant amounts of medical waste, while also facing pressure to control costs and make the most effective use of limited resources. Reprocessing certain medical devices may offer an opportunity to reduce waste and expenses, but any expansion of reuse must be grounded in rigorous safety standards, quality controls, and infection prevention practices. “Duke Health is committed to delivering expert care in a way that is also fiscally and environmentally responsible. We support efforts to identify opportunities to reduce waste without compromising patient safety, and we believe this legislation establishes the right framework, grounding any expansion of single-use device reprocessing in rigorous FDA evaluation before it reaches the bedside." — Duke University Health System . The Sustainable Hospitals Act would specifically direct HHS to examine: Existing FDA pathways for reprocessing single-use devices, including where current regulations are sufficient and where barriers may exist; The role of FDA-cleared third-party reprocessors compared with in-house hospital reprocessing; The operational feasibility, including sterile processing capacity, staffing, equipment, chain of custody, tracking, and quality assurance; Potential financial and environmental benefits, including waste reduction and cost savings, as well as additional labor, capital, and compliance costs; and Liability and accountability issues if a reprocessed device fails or contributes to patient harm. The study would also require consultation with hospitals, supply-chain leaders, infection prevention organizations, sterile processing professionals, clinicians, industry representatives, the FDA, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Within one year of enactment, HHS would be required to report its findings to Congress, including a list of the single-use devices that may have potential for safe reuse and recommendations for programs and activities to facilitate such reuse. Those recommendations could include the use of FDA-cleared reprocessors, appropriate cleaning and sterilization technologies, quality-assurance and tracking systems, and infection-prevention controls. The full text of the bill can be found here . Print Email Share Tweet