This consumer protection law requires product manufacturers
to inform consumers if their products are made with chemicals that are known to cause harm to humans.
Ask your provider or check your box!
Learn more about Proposition 65 including what the law entails, what chemicals are on the list, and how enforcement of the law is handled.
Learn about the four ways chemicals can be added to the Proposition 65 warning list. See DEHP facts below.
Find out how Proposition 65 helps people to make informed choices about their use of affected products.
Prop 65 is one of the most critical right-to-know laws in the country,
protecting our health by keeping hazardous chemicals out of our bodies.
The Prop 65 Warning List is based on sound, evidence-based science with input from agencies like:
US Environmental Protection Agency
US Food and Drug Administration
International agencies like the World Health Organization
Di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP)
DEHP belongs to a family of chemicals called phthalates, which are added to some plastics to make them flexible. In the past, DEHP was one of the phthalates most frequently used in plastic products. Unfortunately, DEHP is still used in various types of plastic consumer products, including medical devices like urological catheters.
The Proposition 65 chemical review process determined that DEHP should be listed as causing:
Cancer: Determined on 01/01/1988
Reproductive Toxicity & Developmental Effects: Determined on 10/24/2003
Harmful Effects on Male Reproductive System: Determined 10/24/2003
In addition to other sources, exposure can result from contact with medical devices or during medical procedures in which devices or equipment containing DEHP are used.
This is why BetterCaths is advocating for a ban on DEHP in urinary catheters, to protect you from prolonged DEHP exposure during life-long catheter use.
The Proposition 65 DEHP Factsheet recommends:
Prior to medical procedures (especially recurring ones like dialysis or catheter use), plan ahead by requesting medical devices or equipment that do not contain DEHP.
This is especially important for protecting boys from the reproductive effects of DEHP.
View more medical research on the linkages between DEHP, catheter use and cancer: Clinical Studies
We strongly encourage you to view the 2021 Canada study that proved a correlation between indwelling & intermittent catheter use and an increased rate of bladder cancer.
Let's Do The Math.
If you use an intermittent catheter
you will put that piece of plastic inside your body
What's Your Number?
Use our free calculator to discover yours.
If you use an indwelling catheter
you will have that piece of rubber inside your body
With these numbers, do you think it's a good idea to use a catheter that has a carcinogen warning label?
Some urological catheters are required to have a Proposition 65 warning on their packaging because of their chemical content.
This may not be an all-inclusive list, as we are continually updating information.
Always check your catheter and the box it came in for a Proposition 65 warning label.
Alternatives without Prop 65 warnings are available. Contact your urologist or medical supply provider to request an alternative.
Has a healthcare professional or your medical supplies provider ever discussed
Prop 65 warning labels on some intermittent and indwelling catheters with you?
Let us know about your experience.
The Proposition 65 DEHP Factsheet recommends that prior to medical procedures (especially recurring ones like dialysis or catheter use), plan ahead by requesting medical devices or equipment that do not contain DEHP.
General Fact Sheets and Resources
US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR)
Proposition 65
California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA) Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA)
Proposition 65: Background
Proposition 65: The List of Chemicals
Proposition 65: Fact Sheets
Posted June 2017
Fact Sheet - Di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP)
Di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP)
Health Equity for People with Disabilities
The World Health Organization's global report on health equity for persons with disabilities shows that because of the systemic and persistent health inequities, many disabled people face the risk of dying much earlier—even up to 20 years earlier—than non-disabled people. FULL REPORT
Scientific Information on DEHP
World Health Organization (WHO)
IARC Monographs on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans, vol. 101 (2013). “Di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate” in Some Chemicals Present in Industrial and Consumer Products, Food and Drinking-water, pages 149-284.
California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA) Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA)
Toxicological Profile for Di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP)