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Transmission of Multi-Drug Resistant Bacteria via ERCP

Patient safety is a primary concern for the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE). As reported in recent years, transmission of multi-drug resistant bacteria, such as CRE, has occurred through an advanced, highly technical procedure called ERCP. ASGE physician members, gastrointestinal endoscopists, perform the vast majority of ERCPs across the country and throughout the world. This procedure is performed with a specially-designed endoscope called a duodenoscope.

ERCP is an important and potentially life-saving procedure, and one that should remain accessible to patients. 

As the leader in patient safety and quality in gastrointestinal endoscopy, ASGE has taken the lead in informing the GI community about this problem. ASGE convened a Duodenoscope Infection Control Summit in 2015 in Washington, DC, and defined a research agenda to study this critically important issue. We have been actively working with many stakeholder groups to solve this critically important issue, including the FDA, CDC, and others. ASGE will continue to monitor this issue and to keep our members informed of the latest knowledge and information available. 

An April 2019 report from the FDA indicated that infections associated with duoedenoscopes have decreased substantially since 2015. ASGE agrees that this is a positive statistic; however, we also believe that, in collaboration with industry, healthcare institutions, the FDA  and other agencies, we must achieve the goal of zero duodenoscope-transmitted infections to our patients.  

Visit this page often for the latest updates on this critically important topic.

Below are resources that may be helpful to physicians, patients and the media.