Surge in Substandard Medical Items Ahead of New Quality Control Regulations

The surge in substandard medical gloves and chlorinated bags from Asian countries has raised concerns ahead of India's impending Quality Control Order (QCO). Expected by the end of September, the QCO aims to ban non-BIS certified gloves from the domestic market, safeguarding patient safety and mitigating environmental risks posed by hazardous materials.

With the impending Quality Control Order (QCO) for medical supplies, there has been a surge in imports of low-quality gloves and chlorinated bags from countries like Malaysia, Thailand, China, and Vietnam. These substandard items are flooding the market as traders rush to sell them before new regulations come into effect. The QCO, expected by the end of the month, will ban the sale of gloves not certified by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) to ensure product safety.

Anindith Reddy from the Indian Rubber Glove Manufacturers Association (IRGMA) revealed that the import of gloves, particularly latex and nitrile varieties, has spiked in recent months, with 450 million pieces imported in August 2024 alone. This marks a 58.6% rise compared to the previous month. The government is pushing to enforce stricter regulations to curb the sale of non-certified gloves, ensuring the safety of patients and reducing environmental harm.

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Experts like Siddharth Singh from the Centre for Science and Environment have voiced concerns over the environmental impact of these substandard products. Chlorinated plastics, commonly used in medical waste, are prohibited in healthcare waste management due to the harmful chemicals they release during incineration. Waste management expert Swati Singh Sambyal added that these products may emit toxic byproducts, such as dioxins, during decomposition, posing a threat to air quality, ecosystems, and human health.