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US FDA Looks To Balance Device Sterilization With Environmental Concerns

Agency initiatives seek to advance ethylene oxide alternatives

 
• By Brian Bossetta

While half of all medical devices in the US are sterilized with ethylene oxide, emissions from the gas pose potential environmental hazards that are attracting federal action.

EtO warning sign
• Source: Shutterstock

An infection from a medical device could result in a more serious condition than the one the device is meant to treat, which is why ensuring devices are thoroughly sterilized prior to use is essential for patient safety.

There are many methods to clean devices, such as radiation, steam, dry heat, and vaporized hydrogen peroxide, but the most common

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