FDA Bans Powdered Gloves For Medical and Veterinary Use
Per Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authority regarding use of medical devices, the FDA has banned the use of powdered gloves for medical and veterinary use. This rule became effective on January 18, 2017. For the full text of this rule, please go to: here. Click on the PDF link on the right under 'documents'.
For information on the ban as it applies to veterinary use of powdered gloves, please review this document: here.
Due to the FDA's assessment of the risks associated with the use of powdered gloves, for both patients and the user, these products must be removed and replaced immediately by departments that use powdered gloves for human or veterinary patient care activities. The FDA considers the risk of powdered gloves to be so high that there is no grace period, the disposal must be done immediately.
Given the FDA's stance on the risks of using powdered gloves, Virginia Tech departments that currently use disposable gloves for non-patient care tasks (such as food service, research/teaching labs) should consider replacing any powdered gloves with non-powdered gloves as quickly as possible. There is no requirement to stop using the gloves or dispose of them immediately for non-patient care use. The FDA is only charged with addressing medical devices so, even though the agency considers the use of powdered gloves to be a high health risk, non-medical use of the gloves is not addressed by this ban.
For information on the ban as it applies to veterinary use of powdered gloves, please review this document: here.
Due to the FDA's assessment of the risks associated with the use of powdered gloves, for both patients and the user, these products must be removed and replaced immediately by departments that use powdered gloves for human or veterinary patient care activities. The FDA considers the risk of powdered gloves to be so high that there is no grace period, the disposal must be done immediately.
Given the FDA's stance on the risks of using powdered gloves, Virginia Tech departments that currently use disposable gloves for non-patient care tasks (such as food service, research/teaching labs) should consider replacing any powdered gloves with non-powdered gloves as quickly as possible. There is no requirement to stop using the gloves or dispose of them immediately for non-patient care use. The FDA is only charged with addressing medical devices so, even though the agency considers the use of powdered gloves to be a high health risk, non-medical use of the gloves is not addressed by this ban.
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