Medical Supplies News: Problems with PVC in IV Bags and Tubing

The low production cost and physical make-up of PVC has made it the go to plastic for medical supplies. However, in recent years, PVC has been known to pose as a problem for the health of the environment and patients who are subject to medical supplies made with PVC. Many hospitals in Europe have banned PVC medical products all-together.

PVC is carbon intensive to produce and creates harmful pollutant when disposed of, which is a problem many environmentalists are grappling to combat.

In terms of health, it also exposes patients to DEHP, the substance used to soften the plastic, which has been found to have adverse side effects, particularly to the male reproductive tract.

According to animal testing conducted by Shanna Swan of the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, a well-known DEHP research facility, observed side effects have been:
•    Hypospadia, a deformity of the penis
•    Undescended testicles, which indicates
      increased risk of testicular cancer later in life
•    Reduced sperm count and fertility
•    Indications of feminisation

Fortunately, there are many alternatives to using this potentially detrimental product in medical supplies. There are PVC-free bags made of EVA. These are cost-effective and technically competitive with PVC bags. Tubing alternatives are made from silicone or polyurethane are on the market for most medical applications as well. There are also disposable gloves made from nitrile that are also readily available for use.