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Parkinsons and neurological disease patients for that matter go without treatment in many areas of the world due to the need for a family to survive on hundreds of dollars a year in family income. Here in the Philippines, most are clothed in used clothing discarded in more affluent countries. They are bundled up and shipped and sold in ukay-ukay (ooh KI) vendors along the roadways. Medtronics devices replaced now are not being used (refurbished) but wind up in a biological waste dump when these repowered devices could be offered at a price commensurate with the ability to pay for third world countries. Yes, they would need to be retested and sterilized before release. Medical liability is not an issue for most of the third world. The cost of one single stimulator is in excess of 1,000,000 (substitute any Third World Currency type) vs annual family incomes less than $1,000 U.S. dollars. Insurance commonly available have a $5,000 lifetime limit. In a world where refurbished is the way of survival, Medtronics as well as pharmaceuticals need to consider the need and find a way to provide used (generic) technology. As it is now, those neurostimulators in your chest will fail sooner or later depending on the amount of the stimulation voltage you require to receive the desired benefit. When the battery is discharged, replacement of the whole device is required and the old one becomes medical waste. Shouldn't someone who needs one be able to have one without being required to either eat or receive benefit? Sterialization is nice but in the third world, doctors and surgeons who examine patients rarely wash their hands. Sad but true. John Cottingham Co-owner Parkinsn Reporting in from the Philippines ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn