by Genesis Plastics Welding Marketing Team Genesis Plastics Welding Marketing Team

Looking To Get Out of PVC

Many medical device OEMs are looking to get out of PVC and for medical-grade material alternatives due to the EU’s pledge to ban the use of harmful chemical groups like PFAS, BPA and PVC by 2030. PVC is a common plastic-type, especially within life-saving medical device applications such as tubing and containers, IV sets, surgical products, fluid bags (especially blood bags), and many other products.

The EU’s top concerns include chemicals that are increasingly linked to cancer, developmental disruption in childhood, life-long endocrine disruption and environmental damage.

First applied to medical applications during WWII, PVC is the most widely used plastic in healthcare, accounting for approximately 25% of all medical-plastic compounds.Plastics Today

Historically, praised for its unique technical properties, low-cost, high biocompatibility and recyclability, it is the most common, but other medical device polymers include polypropylene, polyethylene, polystyrene, and ABS. PVC was first introduced in medical applications during World War II to replace glass, metal, ceramics, and rubber medical devices, which required cleaning and sterilization between uses.

PVC Alternatives & Sustainable Solutions

Fast-forward to today and many device manufacturers are actively searching for medical-grade PVC alternatives to continue to innovate and make vital contributions to human health.

One of the film suppliers meeting the challenge is RENOLIT Healthcare Solutions. Their custom-made solutions and tailor-made films are offering device manufacturers sustainable solutions to minimize their carbon footprint. When it comes to medical device, many OEMS have very specific specifications for films for their innovative products. Qualities like specific barriers, puncture resistance, gas and liquid barriers, specific mechanical properties, optical properties and transparency.

RENOLIT Healthcare Solutions is a market leader for medical-grade high-value non-PVC films for flexible polymer single-use products such as blood bags, biotechnology applications, IV bags, dialysis applications, nutrition devices, high-quality components likes ports and caps, multi-layer polyolefin secondary packaging and other tailor-made solutions.

They are making vital contributions to human health in many areas of the healthcare including 3D printing, biotechnology, blood and blood components, drug manufacturing and delivery, food, medical equipment, orthopedic implants, and pharmaceuticals.

Stumped by a Materials Challenge?

Over our three decades, the Genesis Plastics Welding engineering team has often seen OEMs stumped by a materials challenge. Due to our extensive database of medical-grade raw materials, we’re able to keep customers on track with quick and efficient product development and testing. Our engineers work with clients across the globe to select the best material that will meet business objectives, promote cost savings and accelerate the production process.

Is your team stumped by a fluid bag materials challenge? We can help. Let’s chat.

by Genesis Plastics Welding Marketing Team Genesis Plastics Welding Marketing Team

[In the News] MedDevice Material Innovations

Late last week in Medical Plastics News online, Lorna O’Gara of Ultrapolymers took a look at polymer innovation in medical device and discussed the importance of taking into account the desired performance characteristics of a device, as well as, environmental factors, when selecting materials. She noted the importance getting stakeholders involved at the earliest possible stage of the design process to ensure the material most suited for the device’s application is selected.

We couldn’t agree more. This is often an early topic of discussion with our contract manufacturing medical device clients, as we help them to navigate from concept to commercialization. It’s such an important topic that we’ve developed several downloadable free resources for the industry and have material engineers on staff to help with selection and material challenges.

In the article, O’Gara also touches on PVC alternatives within MedDevice manufacturing. While, PVC is often the first choice for products such as IV fluid bags, dialysis solution products and blood bags, more and more medical device OEMs are searching out alternative polymer solutions for products where phthalate free is highly desired due to patient contact and other factors.

Over the years, switching to a PVC alternative has presented an issue for OEMs where radio frequency welding was the mode of sealing for their thin thermoplastic devices, however, due to Genesis Plastics Welding’s propriety RF welding technology, heat sealing non-PVC films without the addition of additives has become easy. Finally, OEMs have been able to gain material strength, flexibility, optimal yields and excellent barrier properties without having to choose PVC.

Visit Medical Plastics News for the entire article, where O’Gara masterfully discusses flexible medical device applications, material innovations in TPUs, TPEs and recyclable Polyolefin materials that will continue to help hospitals minimize their PVC waste.

Have a material selection conundrum for your thin film medical device? Let our team of engineers help. Contact us today.