Contact Information: Contact: Cathy Purcell 202-285-0370
No Shortage of Medical Glove Supply in U.S. Says MREPC
WASHINGTON, DC--(Marketwire - September 11, 2008) - The Malaysian Rubber Export Promotion
Council (MREPC), representing the world's largest group of medical glove
manufacturers, today announced that natural rubber latex gloves are being
manufactured and shipped according to schedule, unaffected by any of the
factors contributing to the recent shortage of vinyl gloves out of China.
"There is definitely no slowdown in the production of latex gloves by
Malaysia, the world's largest supplier of natural rubber latex and
synthetic gloves," says Dato' Teo Suat Cheng, Chief Executive Officer of
MREPC.
Medical latex gloves are widely used gloves because of their superior
tactile qualities, unprecedented barrier protection, excellent comfort and
fit, and reasonable cost. MREPC assures U.S. health facilities that the
recent shortage of vinyl gloves announced by Hong Ray of China, the largest
supplier of vinyl gloves, should not lead to a shortage of medical gloves
in U.S. hospitals.
"Vinyl gloves have relatively inferior barrier properties, especially
compared to latex and nitrile gloves, as shown by many studies," says Dr.
Denise Korniewicz, world-renown researcher on glove use, professor, and
Senior Associate Dean for Research at the University of Miami's School of
Nursing and Health Services. As also shown by other researchers, vinyl is
not an effective barrier against viral transmission (HIV, Hepatitis B,
etc.) and other potentially infectious microorganisms. Korniewicz says
experts agree that indiscriminate use of vinyl gloves in health care
settings could expose both users and their patients to unnecessary health
risks.
The use of improved low-protein latex gloves, on the other hand, has been
shown by many hospital studies in the U.S., Canada and Europe, to vastly
reduce the incidence of sensitization and allergic reactions in work
places. More importantly, many latex allergic individuals wearing non-latex
gloves can now work safely alongside their co-workers using these improved
latex gloves. It is recommended that latex sensitive individuals should opt
for non-latex gloves with adequate barrier protection, such as the nitrile
gloves.
MREPC is a non-profit organization set up by Malaysia. One major role of
MREPC is to serve as an education and information center focusing
particularly on natural rubber latex gloves to help users better understand
the products they use. MREPC works closely with standards setting and
regulatory authorities as well as relevant governmental organizations,
trade, consumer and public interest groups. For further information about
latex gloves, please visit www.latexglove.info.