WPC Understands Importance of Medical Device Carve Outs
The Washington legislative session was off to a strong start, with at least two dozen bills being introduced on the same day. One bill in particular caught the attention of the Washington Policy Center – an independent, non-profit think tank that promotes sound public policy based on free-market solutions.
House Bill 1933 intends to establish “right to repair” regulations in Washington, requiring manufacturers of certain products to provide proprietary information and manuals to assist in maintenance tasks performed by third party companies. Luckily, the bill, sponsored by 21 legislators, includes an exemption for medical devices, whose importance was reiterated by the policy center.
The Washington Policy Center noted that “when it comes to introducing new requirements on businesses, a cautious, limited scope is preferred to reduce potential costs and harms that end up hurting businesses and consumers alike in the long term.”
As legislators continue to move through the beginning of state legislative sessions, it is crucial for lawmakers to remember that including medical devices in right to repair legislation will put patients right in harm’s way.