Senate Votes to Ban Cancer-Linked Chemical from IV Bags in Massachusetts

Senate Votes to Ban Cancer-Linked Chemical from IV Bags in Massachusetts 

Legislation would prohibit DEHP — linked to breast, liver, lung, and testicular cancer — from intravenous bags and tubing used in Massachusetts hospitals 

 

(BOSTON—6/4/2026) Use of a toxic chemical which is commonly added to plastic intravenous bags and linked to cancer cases would be banned in Massachusetts under a bill advanced today by the Massachusetts Senate. 

 

Senators voted to pass the bill, which would phase out the use of DEHP—a toxic chemical—in IV bags and tubing in Massachusetts. Many IV bags currently contain DEHP, which is added to improve the plastic’s flexibility but can pose serious health dangers to patients. 

 

“When safer alternatives already exist, there is no reason to keep exposing patients to a chemical linked to cancer,” said Senate President Karen E. Spilka (D-Ashland). “This legislation reflects our commitment to making sure that residents have access to care they can trust, from both their doctors and from the equipment itself. I applaud Chair Rodrigues and Chair Driscoll for their work on this legislation and am deeply grateful to Assistant Majority Leader Lovely for her leadership on this bill.” 

 

“Residents in Massachusetts should feel safe when they enter a hospital knowing that medical implements and equipment are free of harmful contaminants,” said Senator Michael J. Rodrigues (D-Westport), Chair of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means. “This bill will phase out the use of DEHP, a known harmful additive to IV bags. We need to do all we can to make our health care environment the safest possible for all patients in Massachusetts. I would like to thank Senator Lovely for her staunch advocacy in moving this legislation forward.” 

 

The legislation—S.3106, An Act relative to toxic-free medical devices—would prohibit the manufacture or sale of IV containers and tubing made with intentionally added DEHP. DEHP—Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate—has been linked to breast, liver, lung, and testicular cancer, according to Breast Cancer Prevention Partners. 

“When a patient is in a hospital bed receiving IV therapy, the last thing they should have to worry about is whether the equipment itself is making them sicker,” said Senator Joan B. Lovely (D-Salem), Assistant Senate Majority Leader and primary sponsor of the legislation. “DEHP is a known carcinogen. Safer alternatives already exist and are being used by major health systems right here in Massachusetts. This bill simply says we are going to catch up with the science. Patients deserve nothing less.” 

 

“We have a duty to keep patients and healthcare providers safe. As the Chair of Public Health and a family member with loved ones receiving the types of care that this legislation applies to, I am grateful to Senator Lovely for filing this bill,” said Senator William J. Driscoll Jr. (D-Milton), Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Public Health. “I want to thank the committee members and members of leadership that all played key roles in advancing this expeditiously to the floor for a vote, especially Senate President Spilka and Senate Ways and Means Chair Rodrigues. Today we are once again elevating the standard of care in the Commonwealth and we should all be proud of that.” 

 

Full details of the legislation are available in a fact sheet in the Senate’s press room. 

 

The Senate Committee on Ways and Means reported the bill to the full Senate with a 17-0 vote on June 1, 2026. A previous version was vetted and advanced by the Joint Committee on Public Health. 

 

The Senate passed the bill and sent it to the House of Representatives for further review.