If others can spread awareness about the issues in the arguments linked below, especially us in Ohio, it would be greatly appreciated!
I represent a family-owned professional O & P company here in Ohio and this issue has come to my attention. Ohio State Senator Rob McColley is adding an amendment tomorrow to the Ohio O&P Licensure rules to add an exemption to “allow an individual approved by the Board to provide 3d printed prosthetic kits even though they are not a licensed prosthetic practitioner”. This was requested by Aaron Westbrook, a teenager from New Albany Ohio who has a non-profit where he uses recycled plastic to 3d print prosthetic kits. Deciding if these kits should be considered safe is something more geared toward the FDA but adding this exemption into the licensure rules greatly undermines the rules impact and protection against non-trained individuals practicing prosthetic care and the risks to the public if this is allowed. Shouldn’t this be exactly what our licensure protects against?
Here are some links to a few posts from an Ohio based reporter.
https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__twitter.com_andy-5Fchow_status_1139246154082922496-3Fs-3D19&d=DwIF-g&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=KmuawjwNpT9A2bnhzaNVjw8wO7L_TDosEXIk33h_tlw&m=I4hSpz90MaJYWIYHNiTl_KgIG3qAmNbyzTWdKFkYIds&s=CeQwPgJwXIE0v79aSiF8oF-nPxf40vI_x306ksJNVkw&e=
“Lt Gov Jon Husted says he wants to change a rule that over-regulates the manufacturing of prosthetics which hinders innovation for people like Aaron Westbrook who makes prosthetics with a 3D printer”
https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__twitter.com_andy-5Fchow_status_1139247363304898561-3Fs-3D19&d=DwIF-g&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=KmuawjwNpT9A2bnhzaNVjw8wO7L_TDosEXIk33h_tlw&m=I4hSpz90MaJYWIYHNiTl_KgIG3qAmNbyzTWdKFkYIds&s=UJOOPddBAnkuzfCPemryW3j5zBdAeag0gfOXwSHUTws&e=
“Sen Rob McColley proposing an amendment in the budget that will allow non-profits to make prosthetics”
https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__twitter.com_andy-5Fchow_status_1139249412763475968-3Fs-3D19&d=DwIF-g&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=KmuawjwNpT9A2bnhzaNVjw8wO7L_TDosEXIk33h_tlw&m=I4hSpz90MaJYWIYHNiTl_KgIG3qAmNbyzTWdKFkYIds&s=3f_c-pAOFXXr1hlwrQdSCMnv3aEkC9sX-0Ds2EHkLDU&e=
“Aaron Westbrook says the advantage to getting a prosthetic from a smaller manufacturer is that the clients can customize their design to best fit their specific needs/preferences, such as equipping a prosthetic to attach a fishing pole”
For anyone who wants to view the press conference, here’s a link to the press conference video:
https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__ohiochannel.org_video_press-2Dconference-2Dannouncing-2Dprosthetics-2Dinitiative&d=DwIF-g&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=KmuawjwNpT9A2bnhzaNVjw8wO7L_TDosEXIk33h_tlw&m=I4hSpz90MaJYWIYHNiTl_KgIG3qAmNbyzTWdKFkYIds&s=yqXSWUUFENE7Mq2DHOK12_07aN9SfK4LvHoKsnlCi54&e=
Best,
Shlomo
Shlomo Heifetz
Director of Operations
Presque Isle Medical Technologies
