CHARLOTTE, N.C. — North Carolina recently passed a law to ban DEHP, a chemical sometimes added to plastic products, like IV bags and tubing, to make them flexible and more resilient, from hospital IV bags by 2030 and tubing materials by 2035.
North Carolina is one of only two states that have banned this chemical in certain medical devices.
“I have spent my entire adult life trying to stay as healthy as possible,” said Julie Jacobson Vann, associate professor and planetary health director at the UNC School of Nursing
Jacobson Vann has a background in nursing and health care, and for her, staying active is a priority.
“The most important thing we can do is stay healthy and prevent health problems from occurring,” Jacobson Vann said.
One of those preventative measures involves avoiding DEHP.
“I try to reduce my risks any way I can by avoiding unnecessary procedures, unnecessary use of plastics that have DEHP,” Jacobson Vann said.
The chemical has been linked to health issues, like cancer and harming the body’s endocrine system, in certain groups of people. B. Braun is a company that manufactures medical devices and has already phased out DEHP in some of its products.
“DEHP was removed and banned from children’s toys back in 2008-2009, and that concentration of DEHP in those toys was about 40%. Well, that concentration in IV bags is about the same, and it’s still allowed to be hung in many areas of our country,” said Stephanie Pitts, vice president of strategic programs and innovation at B. Braun Medical.
Representative Timothy Reeder spearheaded the bill to ban the chemical in our state.
“I don’t want the viewers to think that they have to be afraid if they go to the hospital today and get an IV bag of fluids or tubing. This is a chemical that over time can, may cause trouble,” Reeder said.
Jacobson Vann says providers take an oath to do no harm, so she’s thrilled about this legislation.
“There’s a growing awareness that if we’re going to have patients as healthy as possible, we need to reduce those exposures, and this is a great first step,” Jacobson Vann said.
Follow us on Instagram at spectrumnews1nc for news and other happenings across North Carolina.
link