VERLAB: Treating patients with unverified equipment is a serious criminal offense against human health

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - Verlab, the only laboratory in BiH authorized to verify medical equipment and devices in BiH, issued a new statement tonight addressed to healthcare professionals.

As a metrology laboratory, appointed by the Institute of Metrology of Bosnia and Herzegovina, to provide services of testing and verification of measuring instruments in healthcare in the field of medical instruments with a measuring function and an accredited laboratory according to the international ISO 17020 standard, by the Institute for Accreditation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BATA), for testing medical devices with a measuring function, we are obliged to inform all users of medical devices with a measuring function about the prohibition of using unverified medical devices from the legal metrology of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

In accordance with the Law on Metrology of BiH (Official Gazette of BiH number 19/01), it is stated that any measuring instrument from the legal metrology of BiH that has not been verified must not be used (Article 21) - as it is considered defective. In case of using unverified measuring instruments, Penal Provisions are prescribed (fine for the responsible person, fine for persons using the measuring instrument, temporary confiscation of the measuring instrument, or even temporary closure of the legal entity), which is defined by Articles 45 - 47 of the same law.

We further draw attention that treating a patient with legally defective (unverified) equipment falls under a serious criminal offense against human health from Article 240, paragraph 2 in conjunction with paragraph 1 of the Criminal Code of the Federation of BiH, and in conjunction with the criminal offense of negligent treatment from Article 229, paragraph 1 of the Criminal Code of the Federation of BiH.

In accordance with all of the above, we call on you to use only legally verified medical devices in your healthcare institution and provide patients with accurate and safe treatment and diagnostics.