The American Hospital Association asked the Environmental Protection Agency to delay its proposed deadlines in a plan to reduce the use of ethylene oxide in sterilizing medical devices.
In a June 27 letter, the AHA said ethylene oxide is used to sterilize about 50 percent of the nation's medical supplies, and it requested the EPA explain its proposed requirement that sterilization facilities reduce their EtO emissions to 10 parts per billion.
"We recognize and support the agency's critical role of protecting the environment but urge caution and thoughtfulness in EPA's approach to avoid disrupting healthcare delivery through the unintentional fracturing of the already fragile medical device supply chain," the AHA said. "Such fracturing could put patients at risk of serious harm."