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Medical products leach out toxic chemicals

 
Published: Tuesday 31 August 2004

-- numerous people, including newborns, are being exposed to a toxin via medical products, indicates a recent report. Di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (dehp), the toxin, is found in products made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC). dehp is added to PVC so that it gets softened to manufacture products like blood bags, urine bags and tubes.

The report, Preventing Harm from Phthalates, Avoiding PVC in Hospitals, has been released by Health Care Without Harm, a coalition of 437 organisations. At least 48 products used in European hospitals were tested. Almost 39 products contained dehp, which accounted for 17 to 41 per cent of the total weight of the product. Since dehp is not chemically bound to PVC, it leaches from PVC products depending on a variety of factors, including storage and usage temperatures. Particularly troubling is the 'potential' exposure for premature babies. "These babies receive one or more blood transfusions per week ...dehp has been detected at levels as high as 174 milligrammes per litre (mg/l) of packed red blood cells and 889 mg/l of plasma."

Animal experiments indicate that exposure to dehp leads to abnormal sexual development as well as skeletal, cardiovascular, eye and neural tube defects. Whereas the European Union has banned the use of dehp in cosmetics, personal care products and certain toys, its use in medical products is rampant. In India too there is no regulation on the use of phthalates and PVC.

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