Wow, what a scary realization that our once-thought-safe sterilization techniques were inadequate.<p>This article is a bit more optimistic that a combination of screening and better sterilization techniques has reduced the risk to more acceptable levels: <a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov&#x2F;pmc&#x2F;articles&#x2F;PMC3358170&#x2F;" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov&#x2F;pmc&#x2F;articles&#x2F;PMC3358170&#x2F;</a><p>&quot;Fragile instruments such as endoscopes and electrodes remain a challenge, but new and gentler methods— alkaline cleaning solutions, phenolics, and gaseous hydrogen peroxide—have proven harmless to instruments and give a high, if not always complete, degree of prion inactivation (24–26).&quot;