As a member of the Canadian Medical Forum (CMF), the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada supports its call-to-action for federal, provincial and territorial governments to mobilize the manufacturing, and guide the usage, of personal protective equipment (PPE).

Excerpt from joint statement

“The current unavailability and uncertainty about the appropriate use of PPE is posing significant risks to patients, their families and health care providers. Each day, physicians and other providers at the front lines are grappling with challenges brought about by insufficient supply of PPE. While the scarcity of all PPE is alarming, front line physicians are particularly concerned about the risks posed by the shortage of surgical masks (which help to prevent droplet spread of COVID-19) and N95 respirators (used daily for aerosol generating procedures in emergency departments and operating rooms).

Additionally, many hospitals, clinics and testing centres are uncertain as to when and how to use PPE, sometimes using improvised and unproven solutions. Finally, in the absence of clear instructions, institutions are developing their own potentially ineffective PPE reprocessing steps (disinfecting, cleaning, remanufacturing, testing, packaging, labeling, and sterilization, etc.), or using PPE beyond the manufacturer and industry recommended timelines for safe and effective use.

We call on governments to immediately develop guidelines to support best practices in PPE use by health care providers and mobilize Canadian PPE production in order to protect health care providers and limit the spread of the disease.”