A recent feature published by Medscape Medical News highlights a growing challenge in modern medicine: the rapid expansion of single-use disposable medical equipment and its long-term environmental and health implications. In “The Environmental Scourge of Disposable Medical Equipment — What Can Be Done?” by Dina Cheney, published December 22, 2025, the article examines how efficiency, cost pressures, and patient safety concerns have reshaped clinical practice across the United States.
Among the leading voices featured is Dr. Todd L. Sack, Executive Director of the My Green Doctor Foundation, and one of several pre-eminent medical experts calling for a more thoughtful approach to healthcare sustainability. Drawing on decades of clinical experience, Dr. Sack recalls a time when reuse—not routine disposal—was the norm in medical settings. Over time, he explains, supply chains and product design shifted decisively toward single-use items, embedding waste into everyday clinical workflows.
Dr. Sack points to disposable plastic gloves as a particularly high-impact example. With an estimated 100–124 billion gloves used annually in U.S. healthcare, gloves represent the highest-volume single-use product in clinical practice. He emphasizes that many clinical situations do not require glove use and that proper hand hygiene remains a cornerstone of safe, effective care.
The article also features insights from other national leaders in healthcare sustainability, who note that disposables are often favored because they are fast, inexpensive, and perceived as safer—while their environmental costs are largely shifted outside the healthcare system. Sterilization, by contrast, requires time, energy, and staffing, making it less attractive in efficiency-driven environments.
Through its education and coaching model, My Green Doctor helps healthcare professionals translate sustainability principles into practical, day-to-day actions that protect patients, reduce waste, and strengthen clinical operations. As this Medscape feature makes clear, meaningful change depends on leadership, evidence-based guidance, and implementation support—areas where My Green Doctor continues to play a vital role.
