Plastic has revolutionized the medical field! Many of the innovative procedures conducted to save lives are dependent on the use of plastic. Plastics have made healthcare less painful, easier, safer, and more cost effective today.
Plastics assist our doctors and nurses in giving medicine, running tests, making procedures more comfortable for patients, and it allows for proper hygiene and the disposal of medical devices creating a more sterile environment. Did you know, for example, that the United States has the lowest rate of cross-staph infections when compared to other countries such as Europe and Latin America. This isn’t happening because of luck. This is occurring because of the low cost of plastic! It is now affordable to use plastic products with a patient and dispose of the device after just one use. We now have the availability of sterile plastic packaging as well, this has also contributed to keeping patients safe from infection. Infections can be deadly, utilizing plastic to keep medical supplies sterile is critical. Plastics is even used to create surgical gloves. Plastic gloves also assist in keeping a sterile environment from the doctor’s office to the operating room.
When was the last time you picked up a prescription from the pharmacy or tried to open a bottle of aspirin? The plastic industry is even helping to keep our children safe with the invention of the child-resistant cap.
The healthcare industry is changing everyday in wonderful ways with advancements made possible by plastic. We have disposable syringes and blood bags, new heart valves, and plastic medical devices just to name a few. Plastic materials are even used in the creation of artificial limbs or prosthetics. Did you know that prosthetics created with plastic allow limbs to have a more lifelike appearance? Prosthetics are flexible and even described as comfortable. Plastics are also used in the creation of artificial hips and knees. This product allows individuals the freedom to move in a smooth fashion without joint pain. This invention has been life changing for millions who have lived with these daily aches and pain.
Plastics continue to transform and revolutionize the medical industry and this benefits everyone! Who knows what may be coming our way thanks to the plastic industry.