Lieu Bill Ensures Medical Devices Stay In The Hands Of Trained Professionals

Sacramento, CA – Today, Assemblymember Ted W. Lieu (D-Torrance) won passage of AB 2360 on the California State Assembly floor by a vote of 56-9.

AB 2360 will ensure that ultrasound machines can only be purchased and/or operated by licensed professionals or a properly accredited medical facility.

“There is the potential for significant harm when an untrained person operates this medical device,” said Assemblymember Lieu. “An ultrasound machine should only be used under a doctor or trained professional’s supervision and at his or her discretion.”

Ultrasound machines are used for various purposes in the medical profession, but the most widely-known is fetal imaging in pregnant women.

“How safe a patient is when receiving an ultrasound depends on the level of energy exposure individuals receive,” said Ruth Haskins, MD, FACOG, Chair of the Legislative Committee for the California Chapter of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. “The only people performing such delicate tests should be those who are fully educated and properly licensed.”

AB 2360 is supported by many medical associations, including the California Medical Association, the California Chapter of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and the American College of Radiology.