U.S. FDA bans powdered medical gloves due to health risks

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Friday issued a final rule banning most powdered medical gloves in the United States, saying these products present "unreasonable and substantial risk" to both doctors and patients.

The ban applied to powdered surgeon's gloves, powdered patient examination gloves and absorbable powder for lubricating a surgeon's glove. One exception was powdered radiographic protection gloves, which the FDA said are not available on the market.

Powder is sometimes added to gloves to help make them easier to put on and take off.

However, powdered gloves are associated with an extensive list of potentially serious adverse events, including severe airway inflammation, asthma and other allergic reactions, lung inflammation and damage or post-surgical adhesions, which are bands of fibrous scar tissue that form between internal organs and tissues, said FDA in a statement.

In addition, aerosolized glove powder can carry proteins that may cause respiratory allergic reactions, it added. Enditem