Examination Gloves: Frequently Asked Questions
What types of examination gloves are recommended when taking care of COVID-19 patients
The CDC recommends using disposable medical exam gloves when taking care of suspected or confirmed COVID-19 patients. CDC Guidance does not support double gloves.
What are the different types of examination gloves?
There are three different types of medical gloves: Latex, Vinyl, and nitrile.
Latex gloves are made of a biodegradable material originating from the latex ducts of rubber trees. They are biodegradable, come in different thickness and offer a very comfortable fit. They ensure perfect dexterity and act as a second skin while efficiently protecting the wearer and patient from pathogens.
The main drawback of latex gloves is that latex is an allergen and can induce skin irritations and rashes. Being made of a natural substance, the price of latex gloves are also closely linked to the cost of rubber.
Vinyl gloves are produced using polyvinyl chloride (PVC). The low flexibility of the crude polymer is a significant issue. A plasticizing (Phthalates DINP) chemical is added during the production process to smoothen the gloves.
Synthetic Vinyl gloves are not as puncture-resistant as their nitrile and latex counterparts. Being relatively cheap to produce, they offer a good alternative in settings with high gloves turnover.
The incidence of allergy is very low (less than 1%). When compared to latex and nitrile gloves, Vinyl gloves present a higher permeability to bacteria and viruses. They are not advised when dealing with highly infectious agents and patients.
Nitrile stands for Nitrile Butadiene Rubber (NBR). They do not integrate any form of natural rubber, which makes them highly anti-allergenic. Nitrile has little resistance to friction, which makes them makes them very easy to put on. Nitrile gloves are powder-free and are three times more resistant to puncture than latex.
They are also very resistant to chemicals and pathogens. When considering that they are also relatively cheap to produce, nitrile exam gloves are the best choice for medical examination gloves. Their only drawback is that they offer a slightly reduced dexterity when compared to latex gloves.
Who are the leading producers of examination gloves?
Being historically made of natural, it comes at no surprise than the primary producers of gloves are mainly located in South-East Asia and especially in Malaysia, Vietnam, and Thailand. The Malaysian Rubber Glove Manufacturer Association (MARGA) lists more than 30 members. At Hashi Healthcare, we pride ourselves in working with the best-established players such as Top Glove, V Gloves, Intco, Supérieur, and many others.
Why is the price of gloves so volatile?
Prices for exam gloves have been multiplied by a factor of 3 in the last couple of months. It is the direct result of increasing demand but not only. Gloves are becoming a commodity, and the price is driven by the necessity to cut the production lines often to get an allocation. The price increase in logistics also has an indirect effect on pricing.
For some specific lines, Air Freight costs have been multiplied by a factor five. At HASHI healthcare, using our network of suppliers, we have been able to secure a minimum allocation of 500 million boxes every week. We also offer Spot Offers in the range of 5-20 million boxes ready for immediate shipping.
What is the global production of exam gloves?
This question is part of the little secrets of the Glove industry. Top Gloves, one of the leading manufacturers, produces close to 150 billion gloves. If we consider that the company claims to have 25% of the market, we can reasonably assume that global production is north of 500 billion. New factories are being built right now and no doubt that in the coming months, the daily global output will be close to 2 billion gloves per day.
What are the needed certifications?
In Europe, all medical gloves should comply with EN455 standards. This European Standard covers the minimum properties that address specific essential requirements detailed in the Medical Device Directive 93/42/EEC.
EN455 is a series of tests that define the requirements for exam gloves to protect the patient.
- EN455-1: Freedom from holes
- EN455-2: Physical properties and resistance
- EN455-3: Biological evaluation
- EN455-4: Shelf life with a maximum shelf-life of five years for medical gloves.
EN420 defines the standards concerned with protecting the wearer and comply with PPE regulations
EN374 defines the requirements of gloves to protect against certain chemicals and micro-organisms.
In the US, the FDA regulates latex and nitrile gloves as medical devices. Even though the gloves are a class 1 device, it requires FDA 510K Clearance. ASTM D6319-19 defines the standards for nitrile examination gloves for medical applications. ASTM D3578-19 refers to rubber gloves and ASTM5250-19 to Poly(vinyl chloride) gloves.