DOT Rule on Lithium Batteries Would Affect Device Shipments

Devicemakers are taking issue with a proposed rule that would restrict the shipment of lithium batteries in airplanes, saying it could cost them millions of dollars and lead to cutbacks in expansion, innovation and R&D. The rule would require manufacturers to declare and label products containing small lithium-ion and lithium-metal cells as Class 9 hazardous materials when shipping them on planes. The Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration proposed the rule in January, citing more than 40 air transport incidents since 1991 involving lithium batteries, which are often used to power implantable medical devices.
Devices & Diagnostics Letter