Endocrine Disruptor Leaching from Vinyl Chloride Products - Summary
In 2001, diethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP), which leaches from PVC IV tubes and infusion bags, was identified as an endocrine disruptor that could cause health problems. Concerned about the particularly serious effects on newborns and patients with chronic diseases, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare launched an investigation. Polyethylene and polypropylene were increasingly used as alternative materials, and the European Union regulated DEHP.
In the 2020s, DEHP-free products were introduced at Boston Children's Hospital and Heidelberg University Hospital, but regulations lagged in developing countries. While Sumitomo Chemical and BASF have developed alternatives and improved the safety of medical products, increasing costs are a challenge. In the future, there is a need to strengthen safe supply and international cooperation.
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