News Forum - Thai court hands 4-year prison sentence man for selling used medical gloves

[Thaiger]

An employee of the company accused of exporting millions of used medical gloves to buyers in the US has been sentenced to four years in prison. A recent investigation by CNN reported that the Thai-based Paddy the Room Trading Company sold and exported millions of dirty, used medical gloves, some with bloodstains, to American companies looking to cash in on the increased demand for personal protection equipment during the pandemic. The employee, Pipatphon Homjanya, confessed to exporting second-hand nitrile medical gloves and the Central Intellectual Property and International Trade Court sentenced him to four years in prison, according to Nation […]

The story Thai court hands 4-year prison sentence man for selling used medical gloves as seen on Thaiger News.

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[Dr.Sivada]

Major companies such as Kimberly Clark source their glove products from Asia, and these gloves probably are/were used in western hospitals. As a physician that performs clean and sterile procedures regularly, I think the 4 year sentence is silly. I can’t even imagine the number of sepsis and possible deaths of patients these gloves the providers believed to be clean may have caused. Sad! 

[billywillyjones]

Fall guy?  No evidence against the CEO give me a break lol.  Amazing Thailand.

Edited November 3, 2021 by billywillyjones

[Malc-Thai]

Hmm where have I seen something like this before

https://globalnews.ca/news/7358761/used-condoms-vietnam-recycled/

[Bob20]

3 hours ago, Dr.Sivada said:

Major companies such as Kimberly Clark source their glove products from Asia, and these gloves probably are/were used in western hospitals. As a physician that performs clean and sterile procedures regularly, I think the 4 year sentence is silly. I can’t even imagine the number of sepsis and possible deaths of patients these gloves the providers believed to be clean may have caused. Sad! 

These were non-sterile nitrile examination gloves, for non-invasive procedures. No less appalling though.

[Stonker]

3 hours ago, Dr.Sivada said:

I can’t even imagine the number of sepsis and possible deaths of patients these gloves the providers believed to be clean may have caused. Sad! 

Probably none.

If you want clean, quality PPE you buy from a reputable company like Kimberly-Clark and get what you pay for.

If you want to be part of a rip-off you buy from a company like Paddy the Room - and get what you pay for.

[Dr.Sivada]

52 minutes ago, Stonker said:

Probably none.

If you want clean, quality PPE you buy from a reputable company like Kimberly-Clark and get what you pay for.

If you want to be part of a rip-off you buy from a company like Paddy the Room - and get what you pay for.

That’s not what I mean. If you look at these medical products on the market carefully, Kimberly Clark and BDX etc don’t make all of their products themselves. They source from China, Vietnam, Thailand, and Malaysia, in particular for their glove productions. You never know if Paddy is one of their upstream suppliers. 

[Dr.Sivada]

56 minutes ago, Bob20 said:

These were non-sterile nitrile examination gloves, for non-invasive procedures. No less appalling though.

We call that clean procedures. Arterial and non central venous line placements are two types of clean procedures that can introduce serious sepsis with dirty gloves easily, and in the US we use such non-sterile gloves for that. It is extremely appalling. 

[Stonker]

9 minutes ago, Dr.Sivada said:

That’s not what I mean. 

I didn't think or suggest it was.

If you want to buy a Rolex to sell on, you don't by-pass the known reputable distributors and go to someone you know nothing about on Khaosan Road and pay them in advance unless you think you'll be able to get away with it.

[Bob20]

1 minute ago, Dr.Sivada said:

We call that clean procedures. Arterial and non central venous line placements are two types of clean procedures that can introduce serious sepsis with dirty gloves easily, and in the US we use such non-sterile gloves for that. It is extremely appalling. 

Well, in Europe we call them examination gloves for non-invasive procedures. Not very likely to create huge problems as they aren't sterile to begin with and are often (wrongly) not even changed between patients like at the vaccination drives and blood donations. Besides, whether the gloves are sterile or non-sterile, it's bad practise to touch any working surface of instrument or needle that you handle.

But, as I said, no less appalling.

[Stonker]

21 minutes ago, Dr.Sivada said:

... in the US we use such non-sterile gloves for that. It is extremely appalling. 

THAT is "extremely appalling"!!!

Sterile gloves rather than "clean" should always be used for arterial and venous line placement, except in exceptional circumstances.

If a hospital doesn't observe that, there's something badly wrong.

[Stonker]

25 minutes ago, Bob20 said:

Well, in Europe we call them examination gloves for non-invasive procedures. Not very likely to create huge problems as they aren't sterile to begin with and are often (wrongly) not even changed between patients like at the vaccination drives and blood donations. Besides, whether the gloves are sterile or non-sterile, it's bad practise to touch any working surface of instrument or needle that you handle.

But, as I said, no less appalling.

100% correct, @Bob20, but not just in Europe. Venous and arterial line placements are sterile procedures, or at least should be.

[Leo]

"The charges against Luk-Fei were dropped due to lack of evidence, according to Nation Thailand."

i.e. the Director of the company had far better connections than the hapless employee.

[gummy]

Just now, Leo said:

"The charges against Luk-Fei were dropped due to lack of evidence, according to Nation Thailand."

i.e. the Director of the company had far better connections than the hapless employee.

Or the CEO is looking after the employee and family as a thanks for taking the blame

[LoongFred]

On 11/3/2021 at 9:37 PM, Dr.Sivada said:

We call that clean procedures. Arterial and non central venous line placements are two types of clean procedures that can introduce serious sepsis with dirty gloves easily, and in the US we use such non-sterile gloves for that. It is extremely appalling. 

Non serial gloves are used th protect the person wearing them from harmful products like blood and/or body fluids

 They are not ment for sterile procedures. Serial gloves are packaged differently.

[LoongFred]

Just now, LoongFred said:

Non serial gloves are used th protect the person wearing them from harmful products like blood and/or body fluids

 They are not ment for sterile procedures. Serial gloves are packaged differently.

Please review your facility sterile procedures. Surgical procedures require sterile gloves, etc.