Global Policies

• The World Health Organization issued a policy paper in 2005 calling for short, medium and long term measures to substitute mercury-based medical devices with safer alternatives.


• The World Medical Association passed a resolution in 2008 calling for the substitution of mercury-based medical devices with safer alternatives.

Regional Policies

• European Union – The European Union has banned mercury thermometers for home and health care use beginning in 2008. The EU is considering a similar ban on sphygmomanometers.

National Policies

• India – In May 2010, India’s Central Government issued guidelines to phase-out mercury containing equipment from all Government-run Hospitals.


• Argentina – In February 2010, the Ministry of Health of Argentina published an Administrative Order banning mercury sphygmomanometers. It gives 90 days to end production and 180 to end any commercialization of these products.


• Argentina – In February 2009, the Argentine Ministry of Health issued a resolution 139/2009 ending purchase of mercury medical devices in all Argentine hospitals.


• Philippines – In 2008, the Philippines issued an Administrative Order calling for the phase-out of mercury based medical devices across the country by 2010.


• Taiwan Republic of China – In March 2008, the Environmental Protection Administration announced a national policy to phase-out of mercury thermometers.


• United States – Over the past decade the United States health care sector has virtually phased out mercury-based medical devices. It is nearly impossible to purchase a mercury thermometer in the United States today. See The Global Movement Report


• Sweden, the Netherlands and Denmark – These countries have successfully phased out all mercury based medical devices, including sphygmomanometers. Read the KEMI Report.


• Cuba – Since the 1980s, Cuba has replaced most of its mercury sphygmomanometers with aneroid devices purchased from China. Read the Report (in Spanish).

State and Provincial Policies

• Kwa Zulu Natal, South Africa – The Province of Kwa Zulu Natal, South Africa has issued and is implementing directives banning the purchase of mercury thermometers and spygmomanometers. See the Administrative Order regarding the phasing-out of mercury sphygmomanometers and the Administrative Order regarding the phasing-out of products that contain mercury in healthcare institutions.


• United States – 30 states have banned mercury thermometers and more than 1/3 of the US population is covered by state laws restricting or banning mercury blood pressure devices. Read End of an Era Report.


• Chaco, Argentina – In August 2007, the Provincial Government of Chaco, in northern Argentina, committed (in Spanish) to making all of the 8 hospitals and 296 clinics and health centers under its jurisdiction mercury-free.

Large City Policies

• Mexico city, Mexico – In 2009, the Health Secretariat of Mexico city — which oversees a health care system of more than 28 major hospitals and hundreds of health centers — has joined (in spanish) the HCWH-WHO Global Initiative to substitute mercury-based medical devices with safer, economically viable alternatives.


• Buenos Aires city, Argentina – The Buenos Aires city Government which runs the largest health care system in Argentina, is implementing a policy to phase out mercury-based medical devices in 33 major hospitals and 38 smaller health care centers. Read the report (in spanish) done by the Buenos Aires City Government.


• Delhi, India – As a result of a policy issued by the Delhi Department of Health and Family Welfare in 2007, all government-run hospitals have stopped purchasing new mercury-based medical devices and a total of 2,229, mostly small healthcare establishments which are in the National Capital Territory of Delhi are in the process of replacing mercury devices. Several private systems and philanthropic hospitals in Delhi have also replaced mercury.


• São Paulo, Brazil – The City of São Paulo is the first in Brazil to eliminate the use of devices containing mercury in its public hospitals. To date thirty four public hospitals/emergency rooms and eighty five primary health care centers have been recognized for their elimination of mercury devices. This adds to the more than 100 private hospitals in Sao Paulo that have already made the switch. While there is no formal policy, the Municipality of São Paulo and its related health institutions have relied on the tireless work of one individual in the Ministry of Labor there, Dr. Cecilia Zavariz, who has spearheaded this achievement.

Hospitals and Health Care Systems

Number of Developing Country Hospitals* Committed or Already Mercury-Free**