FDA Publishes Battery Survey Results

The results of a survey of nine healthcare professionals conducted by FDA reveal some of the common problems associated with batteries used in medical devices and indicate a desire for manufacturers to address these problems through improved device labeling and better communication with users.

FDA conducted the survey in early 2013 to get a better picture of how batteries are used and maintained in a healthcare setting, why and how they fail, and ways in which the agency can work with device manufacturers to improve battery reliability. Respondents included biomedical and clinical engineers,...