The Weight of the Evidence on DEHP: Exposures are a Cause for Concern, Especially During Medical Care

Assessments conducted for the governments of the United States, Canada, and the European Union have all concluded that exposures to di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) are of concern to some patient populations and subsets of the general public. Especially vulnerable are infants and toddlers, pregnant and lactating women, and patients undergoing certain medical procedures. All of the government-sponsored assessments point to the need for action, with the Canadian and Swedish studies recommending specific action to reduce DEHP exposure in health care and other vulnerable populations. The FDA has recommended that medical device manufacturers reformulate products to remove DEHP and that hospitals use alternatives to DEHP-containing products, whenever possible, for high risk populations.

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