Re-use of devices in cardiology.

The Committee for Scientific and Clinical Initiatives, with the approval of the Board of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC), has initiated Policy Conferences in the European Heart House. The purpose of such conferences is to provide a forum for debating matters of importance for the practice of cardiology. Subjects to be addressed are those where knowledge is still insufficient for the creation of an official ESC Task Force with a view to writing European practice guidelines. Other subjects, which will be handled in the format of Policy Conferences, include those medical issues that have ethical, legal, industrial, administrative and political implications. Each Policy Conference starts with an initial session comprising a series of lectures given by invited experts, including not only cardiologists but also specialists in technical, legal, ethical or political matters. The presentations are given before a group of invited panellists with substantial specific expertise and a group of attendees with broader based backgrounds. The experts’ presentations and written documents are then considered by the panel members. The panel presents to the attendees a statement based on the presentations and, during a second session, these statements are debated by the attendees and the experts. The panellists make use of this input to finalize a Policy Document. Following ESC Board approval, the document will be published in the European Heart Journal and distributed to all who may have an interest in the subject. It is hoped that Policy Documents will serve as a platform to encourage research and support medical, legal, political and administrative decisions. Such Policy Documents should facilitate the writing of future European Guidelines designed to improve the provision of health care in the relevant area. The first ESC Policy Conference was organized in the European Heart House, 5–6 February 1998, addressing the issue of Re-use of Devices in Cardiology. This article is the Policy Document from the conference. Background