Advocacy group calls to remove toxic chemicals from common medical devices: 'We allow them to be pumped into the veins'

Breast Cancer Prevention Partners, a leading science-based nonprofit organization working to eliminate toxic chemicals that contribute to breast cancer, has called on California lawmakers to pass the Toxic-Free Medical Device Act. 

The legislation would prevent the harmful chemical DEHP (Di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate) from being used in IV bags and tubing in the state. 

In an Instagram post from the advocacy group, the California Senate unanimously passed the groundbreaking bill, and it's expected to be approved by Gov. Gavin Newsom soon. 

What's happening?

If the bill becomes law, it would ban the toxic chemical DEHP — along with other harmful substitutes in the same class of chemicals, known as phthalates — from being manufactured, sold, or distributed in IV bags for all patients starting in 2030. 

In addition, it would prohibit DEHP and similar chemicals from being used in IV tubing for high-risk patients beginning in 2035, according to a release and fact sheet on the act. 

Since up to 90% of U.S. inpatients receive IV therapy treatments, according to research cited by BCPP, the passage of the Toxic-Free Medical Device Act would be a huge step toward protecting patient health nationwide. 

According to a new report from the advocacy group, DEHP is used in around 60%-70% of IV bags and tubes in California and has been linked to numerous health issues, such as breast, lung, liver, and testicular cancers. 

Because DEHP can leach out of the IV bags and tubing into the medication and fluids being infused into patients' bloodstreams, it puts vulnerable patients at significant risk. 

"Hospitals should not be a place where sick people have to worry that their IVs will make them worse instead of better," Suzanne Price, CEO of BCPP, said in a statement. 

"The fact that DEHP and other phthalates are not allowed in toys because they're too toxic for children to suck on, but we allow them to be pumped into the veins of patients from newborns to people receiving cancer treatment is insanity," she continued.

Why is the Toxic-Free Medical Device Act important?

As BCPP stated, although the act would only apply to California, it could pave the way for other states to pass similar laws to safeguard patients' health. 

DEHP has been linked to neurological problems, adverse reproductive health, and endocrine disruption. The chemical may also make breast cancer drugs less effective and can even cause cancer cells to multiply, according to research. 

Since breast cancer is the most common type of cancer in U.S. women, except for skin cancers, per the American Cancer Society, this is especially concerning. 

Price, the BCPP CEO, noted that it makes sense to ban DEHP from medical devices, considering it's been outlawed from toys nationwide since 2008 and personal care products and cosmetics in California since 2020. 

Not to mention, DEHP pollutes the environment when it enters the soil and waterways and can even harm rural communities miles away from hospitals since the chemical can bind to dust particles in the air. 

For all these reasons, the Toxic-Free Medical Device Act is monumentally important for patient health, communities, and the planet. 

"As someone who has battled breast cancer firsthand, I understand the critical importance of ensuring that our medical devices are safe and free from harmful chemicals like DEHP," California Assemblywoman Lori Wilson, who proposed the bill, said in a statement. "By passing AB 2300, we can take a significant step toward protecting the health and well-being of Californians, ensuring that our medical devices meet the highest safety standards."

What's being done about DEHP in the meantime?

According to BCPP, safer alternatives to DEHP already exist, and some California health care systems, including Kaiser Permanente, Loma Linda University Health, and City of Hope, switched to DEHP- and PVC-free IV bags and tubing years ago. 

The good news is that it wouldn't be costly or difficult for other hospitals to implement these nontoxic alternatives. In fact, three of the four main IV bag manufacturers in the nation — B. Braun, Fresenius-Kabi, and ICU Medical — already have a large inventory of FDA-approved DEHP-free IV bags.

Janet Nudelman, senior director of program & policy at BCPP, said: "Switching to DEHP-free IV bags and tubing is not an expensive, multiyear process. It's a no-brainer way to prevent unnecessary harm to patients. We urge hospitals throughout California and across the country to make this shift ASAP, whether it's the law or not."

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