All sectors are constantly evolving and even the examination gloves sector does not escape this law.
In the last two-three years, the disposable gloves consumer is gradually shifting from the use of powdered gloves to the use of powder-free gloves. The reasons for this trend are many, first of all glove’s powder often causes allergic reactions and contamination, which in some areas can be a critical element (mainly in food and healthcare business) and as second reason are today available on the market, at an affordable price, alternative products to powdered gloves.
The potential criticality of the presence of powder in gloves has also been recognized by the American FDA, which in January 2017 issued a decree banning the use in the public health sector of POWDERED GLOVES both surgical and patient examination gloves. The ban concerns only Medical Devices (and does not involve other professional uses) and starts from the concept that the benefits of powdered gloves, mainly related to easier donning are considerably lower than the risks associated with it or the contamination it can cause entering in contact with powder. In the United States, the concept of prevention and precaution prevailed over the negative economic impact of the ban, given the higher cost of powder-free gloves than powdered gloves.
Already in 1997, the US FDA had highlighted the potential risks of powdered medical devices (gloves) in the healthcare industry, but no valid product alternatives were available at that time and therefore no special action was taken.
