Updated opinion on DEHP in medical devices

The use of the phthalate DEHP in medical devices and the potential risk for patient exposure to leaching from the devices is the main focus of a 2015 opinion from the European Commission’s Scientific Committee on Emerging and Newly Identified Health Risks (SCENIHR). The previous opinion was from 2008. SCENIHR concludes that patients, particularly neonates and infants, are at risk of high exposure. Furthermore, evidence suggests that DEHP causes the most severe reproductive toxicity in animal studies. Consequently, the need to develop alternative plasticisers is strong. Alternative plasticisers are being developed, but more data are needed to better understand their leaching properties, their potential toxicity, as well as the efficacy of the treatment. The SCENIHR assessment also includes information on available plasticisers as well as some proposed alternatives to DEHP in medical devices. View the SCENIHR Opinion on The safety of medical devices containing DEHP-plasticized PVC or other plasticizers on neonates and other groups possibly at risk (2015 update) at: http://ec.europa.eu/health/scientific_committees/emerging/docs/scenihr_o_047.pdf

DHI Newsletter, 17 September 2015 ;http://www.dhigroup.com/news/newsletters ;