LONDON (June 24)—Regent Medical has developed a powder-free surgical glove using de-proteinized natural rubber latex that offers reduced risk of latex allergy at a price lower than most non-latex gloves.
De-proteinized natural rubber latex, or DPNRL, is natural rubber latex which has had the protein removed in a patented enzyme-based process, Regent Medical said.
The medical glove supplier described the development as a "significant step forward in surgical glove technology," which will "change the way people think about the issues surrounding latex gloves."
Such a change is overdue in the United Kingdom, where health trusts have been moving away from buying NR latex examination gloves, following advice by the Health and Safety Executive on glove choice and use.
Regent Medical said its Eclipse powder-free surgical glove is 20-percent thinner than the standard Biogel glove and 30-percent softer than the Biogel SuperSensitive while offering 30-percent greater tensile strength than a leading competitor.