Cardinal Health expands in Asia with powder-free gloves, disposable gowns
Cardinal Health, a leading global, integrated healthcare services and products company, is introducing its powder-free gloves product line to Hong Kong while further penetrating the disposable drapes and gowns segment in Asia as part of its expansion plans in the region.
A proposed ban on powdered gloves was announced by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on March this year as they can cause allergy and respiratory problems to medical professionals, and pose even more hazards to patients. However, many consumers in Asia are still using the traditional powdered gloves.
“There is a tremendous demand for powder-free gloves in Asia,” said Carl Hall, vice president/managing director of Commercialization, Asia-Pacific at Cardinal Health. “In this region, aside from Japan, Australia, New Zealand and Hong Kong, approximately 70% of users are still using powdered gloves. Our goal is to help Asia move to a powder-free environment in order to improve the safety and health of patients and clinicians.”
Cardinal Health will showcase its range of powder-free gloves at the upcoming 5th ASIORNA Conference and 7th Asian Perioperative Nursing Leadership Forum; both will be held in Hong Kong from October 8 to 10.
Cardinal Health will also highlight its disposable drapes and gowns, in addition to fluid management solutions. “Single-use surgery products are the future for infection control,” Hall said. “The disposable option is more economical, creates less pollution and ensures safety.”
According to a report by the Freedonia Group, an international industry market research firm, the world demand for disposable medical products is expected to increase 6.6% annually to US$245 billion by 2018.
The strongest influence on growth will involve the upgrading and stricter enforcement of infection prevention protocols by hospitals and other health facilities throughout the world. The growth in the BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India and China) countries, and other emerging economies in the Asia Pacific, will exceed the world average as their healthcare sectors expand, modernize, and adopt formal infection prevention protocols.
Cardinal Health also acquired interventional cardiology product manufacturer Cordis, which provides a broader footprint for distribution of its products and services, as part of their expansion plans.
Category: Features, Wellness and Complementary Therapies
