Rubber glove makers have raised prices and warned of potential supply disruptions as the Iran war drives up input costs, according to an April 17 Reuters report.
Prices for synthetic rubber gloves have increased about 40% to as high as $29 per box of 1,000, while raw material costs have climbed more than 50%, analysts said.
Manufacturers including Top Glove and Hartalega Holdings said they are passing through higher costs, with nitrile latex — used in about 55% of gloves — driving much of the increase.
Analysts said prolonged supply chain disruptions could lead to shortages by late May, though many hospitals have several months of inventory following pandemic-era stockpiling, the report said.
The developments add to broader healthcare supply risks tied to the Iran conflict. Earlier disruptions to helium — critical for MRI machines and some surgical procedures — affected about one-third of global supply and raised concerns about imaging capacity and rising costs.
U.S. manufacturers have also warned the country remains heavily reliant on overseas PPE supply. The American Medical Manufacturers Association said in an April 16 news release shared with Becker’s that 80% to 90% of PPE is imported, with more than 87% of medical glove imports coming from three countries, raising concerns about supply chain resilience during global disruptions.
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