It has been over 10 years since the implementation of EU Commission regulation no 847/2012 which banned the new Mercury sphygmomanometers in Europe.
Fortunately, there is an alternative for clinicians wishing to record blood pressure using the Ausculatory method listening for Korotkoff sounds using a stethoscope.
Electronic manual sphygmomanometers like the A&D Medical UM-102B mimic the Mercury sphygmomanometer but have none of the inherent disadvantages. These devices blend the best of modern, reliable vertical LCD technology, with the traditional advantage and reassurance of a gold standard manual measurement.
Unlike Mercury sphygmomanometers, devices like the A&D Medical UM-102B sphygmomanometer don’t require routine cleaning or maintenance and can be used at any angle with a wide range of cuffs sizes and on patients with arrhythmias.
There is no oxidisation of the LCD which could alter the dynamic response and readings can be read to a single digit mm/Hg. Most importantly, if a product like the A&D Medical UM-102B gets dropped you won’t end up with a contaminated treatment room and an expensive and time consuming mercury spill to clean up!
Alternative clinically validated Mercury free sphygmomanometers are available, so clinicians do still have a choice as to whether they use a manual method to record blood pressure with a stethoscope or an automatic device.
You can find out more here https://www.pmsinstruments.co.uk/acatalog/copy_of_Sphygmomanometers.html