Strategies for Conserving the Supply of Disposable Medical Gloves | Healthcare Workers | CDC

This page offers a series of strategies or options to conserve the supply of disposable medical gloves in healthcare settings when there is limited supply due to increased use and demand (e.g., as may occur during an infectious disease pandemic or epidemic) or supply chain disruption.

Non-sterile disposable gloves cleared by FDA are not required to have expiration date labeling; however, some manufacturers choose to designate a shelf life. Facilities may consider using gloves past their designated shelf life (if a shelf life is designated) for situations where HCP are not exposed to pathogens, such as during training activities.

Healthcare facilities may consider using disposable medical gloves that are similar to FDA-cleared surgical and examination gloves but are approved under other U.S. or international standards. Check with the vendor to determine product conformity with any applicable recommended standards. Decisions to implement this strategy would require authorization by FDA or enforcement discretion by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

Non-sterile disposable gloves cleared by the FDA are not required to have expiration date labeling; however, some manufacturers choose to designate a shelf life. Facilities may consider using gloves past their designated shelf life for healthcare delivery. Sterile gloves past their designated shelf life should not be used for surgical or other sterile procedures.

Non-sterile disposable gloves should be prioritized for use during activities when gloves are recommended to protect the hands from contact with potentially hazardous substances, including blood and body fluids (e.g., wound care). If gloves are not worn, hand hygiene protocols must be followed.

Facilities may consider suspending use of gloves when entering the room of patients with endemic multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs) (e.g., MRSA, VRE, ESBL-producing organisms). Note: the organisms that are considered endemic can vary in different regions. However, HCP should wear gloves when it can be reasonably anticipated that contact with blood or other potentially infectious materials, mucous membranes, nonintact skin, or potentially contaminated intact skin could occur. When HCP are exposed to such MDROs, employers must ensure that hand hygiene protocols are stringently followed. These organisms can be carried on the skin and under the fingernails, leading to transmission to other patients or colonization of HCP. In general, gloves, as part of Contact Precautions, should continue to be used for patients colonized or infected with emerging highly-resistant organisms including Candida auris, carbapenemase-producing carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales, Carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas and Acinetobacter, and pan-resistant organisms.