February 2008

The Ontario government has enacted a regulation that mandates the use of safety-engineered needles or needle-less systems in all hospitals by September 1, 2008. The Government has also indicated its intent to amend the new regulation to mandate the use of safety-engineered needles or needle-less systems in long-term care homes, psychiatric facilities, laboratories and specimen collection centres in 2009, and in other health care workplaces (such as home care, physician's offices and ambulances) in 2010.

By: Rosalind H. Cooper