Latex Free Devices and Products.

IMPORTANT: This list is now out of date and is no longer maintained. It is only available now in the Archive section for reference purposes.

This page lists medical disposables that are usually made of latex (e.g., gloves) or have a latex component (e.g., IV sets) where the latex has been replaced by a non-latex substitute. This is becoming increasingly important for procedures and operations on latex allergic patients and for latex allergic staff.

If you notice any products missing, please inform me by email (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) or any other method (see Contact us on the menu above.) and I will update these pages.

Examination Gloves

Non-vinyl Gloves

Vinyl Gloves

Surgeons Gloves

Latex containing consumer products and substitutes: Latex Rubber Products and Substitutes 

IV Administration Sets & Syringes

• Braun have a range of IV sets which are latex free. The Sangofix ES is a blood set with 200 micron filter and 3mm tubing, whilst the Intrafix Air P is an IV solution set with a built in air vent in the spike. Neither sets have drug injections sites.
• Terumo make a range of syringes where the grommet on the plunger is latex free.

IV Cannulae and Catheters

• Johnson and Johnson's range of peripheral I.V. catheters are latex free and J&J also confirm that no latex is used in the manufacturing process.

  The products are:

  • Optiva 2 (tm) peripheral I.V. Catheter with injection port.
  • Optiva (tm) I.V. Catheter.
  • Jelco (tm) I.V. Catheter
  • Jelco (tm) Winged I.V. Catheter
  Thanks to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. from J&J Medical Vascular Access for this information.

Anaesthetic Equipment.

• Vital signs have a complete range of latex free anaesthetic equipment. (Thanks to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Marketing Manager, Vital Signs)
• Intersurgical Ltd (Wokingham, UK)
  • Code # 2103 - Mapleson C System
  • Code # 2119 - Deluxe Bain System
  • Code # 2016 - Basic Y Piece Circle System
  Thanks to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. of Intersurgical for this info.
• Hudson RCI Ltd now have a complete Latex Free product range in
  • Airway management,
  • Humidification/ Filtration,
  • Respiratory and
  • Oxygen therapy products.
  Thanks to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Marketing Co-ordinator HUDSON RCI (UK) LTD for this information.

New Materials

An American company has developed a new plant which produces "non-allergic" latex. Using genetic engineering, the USDA Western Regional Research Center at the University of Arizona has produced a plant called Guayule, whose rubber is pliable enough to be used as a subsitute for latex.

Production levels are low at present, and thus only small items such as catheter tips are being manufactured by Ulex, Inc. (Philadelphia, PA). However, large-scale production of guayule hypoallergenic latex is feasible, and it is envisaged that glove manufacture will take place in the future.

Australia has also considered growing Guayule, but the low volume of production and the low cost of rubber has not yet made it a commercial proposition. In contrast, the USA have been funding Guayule research and development to the tune of $60 million in the 1980's, as they see rubber as critical to their strategic defense and economy. In 1991, the U.S. Department of Agriculture predicted that domestic production of guayule may replace a quarter of the USA's natural rubber imports by the end of the millennium.

Useful Resources

• Paper on the technical aspects of medical glove safety.
• Database of Products Containing Natural Rubber Latex (NRL) - a database of products containing NRL produced by This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. in the United Kingdom. Note - it is over 1/2 a megabyte in size, and takes a while to download.
• Health and Safety Executive Latex allergies - This website will tell you more about NRL allergies and how you can protect yourself and others against them. It gives advice on single-use glove selection,taking account of the importance of infection control.