In the Interest of Patients

Abstract

Decisions in virtually every sector of modern healthcare are increasingly guided by the doctrine of evidence-based medicine. This includes the choice of materials and medical devices used in life-sustaining procedures such as infusion therapy. Environmental activists contend that devices made from plasticized vinyl, which are ubiquitous in healthcare settings, constitute a health risk to patients and should be deselected for these and other procedures. An evidence-based assessment refutes these allegations and makes clear that for most applications, vinyl remains superior to alternative materials in terms of safety and performance.