Shortages of naphtha ¡ª an ingredient used to make plastic ¡ª has hospitals and patients in Japan worried about diminishing reserves as the war in Iran continues.
Plastic is widely used in medicine, from surgical gloves, syringes, transfusion bags and catheters to dialysis machines.
So far, there have been no reports of medical equipment shortages in Japan. But chronically ill patients have nevertheless voiced concerns about their long-term availability.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.