“We should not be practicing medicine in a way that contributes to the pollution and emissions that harm the health of those we have pledged to serve.”

The U.S. healthcare sector is responsible for approximately 8.5% of the nation's greenhouse gas emissions, contributing to an estimated 388,000 disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) lost in 2018. While non-sterile gloves are essential for reducing the transmission of pathogens, an estimated 100 billion exam gloves are used annually in the United States, generating approximately 400,000 tons of medical plastic waste each year.

Evidence suggests that gloves are used inappropriately in up to 50% of clinical encounters. Beyond creating avoidable plastic waste, inappropriate glove use can compromise patient safety and infection prevention efforts by reducing hand hygiene compliance. These practices have downstream environmental and public health consequences that extend well beyond the clinical setting.

Fortunately, a growing body of evidence supports the safety and effectiveness of glove stewardship initiatives. Educational campaigns that promote evidence-based, appropriate glove use have reduced glove consumption by 15% to 50% across a variety of healthcare settings without compromising patient care.

In this episode of the ASHE Podcast, hosts Dr. Priya Nori and Dr. Elizabeth Monsees are joined by Dr. Laurie Lalakea and Dr. Radhika Sheth to discuss their recent publication, Using Gloves Wisely: Rethinking Glove Use for Health, Safety, and Environmental Sustainability. Together, they explore the far-reaching public health and environmental impacts of non-sterile glove overuse and share practical strategies for implementing a successful glove stewardship program.

Links and Recommendations:

• Read Dr. Lalakea and Dr. Sheth’s article in ASHE: https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/antimicrobial-stewardship-and-healthcare-epidemiology/article/using-gloves-wisely-rethinking-glove-use-for-health-safety-and-environmental-sustainability/EB82A26AE6E05E298688F4005AB6F0CB?utm_campaign=shareaholic&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=bookmark
• Sustainabil-ID: https://sustainabil-id.com/
• What If We Get It Right? by Ayana Elizabeth Johnson: https://www.getitright.earth/

In this episode of The ASHE Podcast, hosts Dr. Gonzalo Bearman and Dr. Priya Nori speak with Elizabeth Hirsch, PharmD and David Mott, PhD about their national survey of infectious diseases and antimicrobial stewardship pharmacists in the United States. They discuss the workforce's diverse responsibilities, training and resource challenges, and key findings that have implications for workforce development, retention, and the future of antimicrobial stewardship programs.

Read the full article: Hirsch EB, Mott DA, Gilson AM, et al. A national survey of the infectious diseases and antimicrobial stewardship pharmacist workforce in the United States: work settings, characteristics, employment activities, resources and needs. Antimicrobial Stewardship & Healthcare Epidemiology. 2026;6(1):e76. doi:10.1017/ash.2026.10312

In this episode of The ASHE Podcast, host Dr. Gonzalo Bearman and Dr. Priya Nori speak with the authors of “Sports fever! Getting the ball rolling to prevent infections at the World Cup™ and beyond,” Dr. Preeti Mehrotra and Dr. Trini Mathew.

Sporting events provide athletes with an opportunity to compete on the world stage and bring together millions of fans in celebration. However, mass gatherings and mega sporting events also present unique public health challenges, including the risk of communicable disease transmission and the need for extensive preparedness planning.

As the world looks ahead to the 2026 FIFA World Cup™, which will feature 48 teams competing across three host countries, Drs. Mehrotra and Mathew discuss the infectious disease risks associated with large-scale sporting events, including commonly encountered infections and high-consequence pathogens. They explore practical preparedness strategies for healthcare personnel, infection prevention and control teams, emergency departments, and disaster preparedness leaders, while emphasizing the importance of closed-loop communication, multidisciplinary collaboration, and innovative technology solutions.

Tune in to learn how healthcare systems and public health agencies can prepare for one of the largest sporting events in history—and how the lessons learned can serve as a blueprint for future mass gatherings worldwide.

Read “Sports fever! Getting the ball rolling to prevent infections at the World Cup™ and beyond”: https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/antimicrobial-stewardship-and-healthcare-epidemiology/article/sports-fever-getting-the-ball-rolling-to-prevent-infections-at-the-world-cup-and-beyond/DA92F515F40CE1C201E7D89456850DED#article