Campaign partner Health Care without Harm (HCWH) has recently published two fact sheets on hazardous chemicals in medical devices.
The first factsheet focuses on Bisphenol A in medical devices which has been shown to leach from medical devices containing PVC. BPA is left behind after the manufacturing process and from dental sealants in normal conditions of use. It is of paramount importance to avoid all possible sources of exposure to BPA, given the extensive presence of it in the environment. This factsheet highlights some examples of BPA applications in medical devices and steps to move towards PVC free healthcare. Read the factsheet here
The second factsheet focuses on phthalates in medical devices which area group of chemical substances, primarily used as plasticisers (softeners) in plastics. They are abundant in PVC based medical devices such as blood bags, tubing, catheters and disposable gloves, where they can account to up to 40% of the final product. The factsheet highlights the risks from phthalates and the fact they can easily be released, transferred or leached into the air, water or body fluids during their production, use and discard as they are not chemically bound to plastic materials. Read the factsheet here.