MSF Calls for Phase-Out of Harmful Plastics in Healthcare During Global Plastics Treaty Talks

As negotiations resume this month in Geneva on the Global Plastics Treaty, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is urging governments to take bold and science-driven action to eliminate the use of hazardous plastics in healthcare—starting with polyvinyl chloride (PVC), a material still widely used in medical products despite the availability of safer alternatives. 

While plastics play an essential role in modern medicine, not all plastics are created equal. PVC, commonly used due to its low cost and flexibility, poses serious health and environmental risks. Its production and use rely on toxic chemical additives such as phthalates—especially DEHP (the chemical compound which makes PVC flexible) —that can leach into patients’ bodies during medical procedures. 

“These risks are greatest for the most vulnerable patients—newborns, people in intensive care, and those receiving blood transfusions or dependent on IV lines and feeding tubes,” said Dr Maria Guevara, MSF’s International Medical Secretary. 

The dangers extend far beyond the bedside. PVC’s production, incineration, and disposal release persistent toxins—often in low-resource settings where MSF operates, and where medical waste systems are poorly regulated—fueling climate and pollution crises that affect the same vulnerable communities MSF serves. 

PVC-free alternatives already exist for many commonly used single-use items. For example, MSF and health systems in high-income countries already use PVC-free IV bags. However, for other items alternatives remain limited or unaffordable due to the lack of mass production. While blood bags still lack viable alternatives, most other products can be safely substituted. 

“Access to safer alternatives should not be a privilege. It must become the global standard,” said Stephen Cornish, MSF Switzerland’s General Director. “A PVC-free healthcare sector is achievable and essential—for patients, for health systems, and for the planet.” 

MSF urges treaty negotiators to reject blanket exemptions for the healthcare sector and instead pursue targeted, evidence-based reforms. Specifically, MSF calls for the treaty to include:

MSF urges negotiators to seize this opportunity to set clear targets for phasing out harmful plastics in healthcare and to prioritize the protection of human health throughout the plastic lifecycle—from production to disposal.