Recent studies have shown that astronauts experience altered immune response behavior during spaceflight, resulting in heightened susceptibility to illness. Resources and resupply shuttles will become scarcer with longer duration spaceflight, limiting access to potentially necessary medical treatment and facilities. Thus, there is a need for preventative health countermeasures that can exploit in situ resource utilization technologies during spaceflight, such as additive manufacturing (i.e., 3D printing). The purpose of the current study was to test and validate recyclable antimicrobial materials compatible with additive manufacturing. Antimicrobial poly(lactic acid)- and polyurethane-based materials compatible with 3D printing were assessed for antimicrobial, mechanical, and chemical characteristics before and after one closed-loop recycling cycle. Our results show high biocidal efficacy (>90%) of both poly(lactic acid) and polyurethane materials while retaining efficacy post recycling, except for recycled-state polyurethane which dropped from 98.91% to 0% efficacy post 1-year accelerated aging. Significant differences in tensile and compression characteristics were observed post recycling, although no significant changes to functional chemical groups were found. Proof-of-concept medical devices developed show the potential for the on-demand manufacturing and recyclability of typically single-use medical devices using antimicrobial materials that could serve as preventative health countermeasures for immunocompromised populations, such as astronauts during spaceflight.

Over the last 10 years, the most recent innovations in the field of organic chemistry have been significantly driven by both industry needs and environmental concerns. On the former, industrial applications and production processes have evolved to reduce carbon footprint and to reduce the reliance on oil-based organic material precursors. On the latter, increasing concerns around accelerated global warming, have kindled the search for solutions, including lower carbon footprint, recyclability, and upcycling of novel materials. To 2015, the healthcare industry accounted for about 5.7% of the carbon emission with a severe impact in carbon, SO₂, Nitrogen and particulate matter. Specifically, what relates to greenhouses, the global contribution accounts to 24 Gton of CO₂, which has largely increased due the immense use of disposable devices during the pandemic. Current evidence points towards a substantial interest in the reduction of carbon footprint in the healthcare settings, yet with limited success across the largest health care providers. This study approaches the topic from a literature review and an empirical approach based on previous and ongoing research on the field of additive manufacturing and the use of bio-based materials for medical devices applications, which has been conducted utilizing mechanical, economic and microbiological assessments to address the research question of how to better address the carbon footprint of the healthcare industry, limited to some surgical procedures. This research points towards the direction that the implementation of an on-site solution may help to address some of the sustainability challenges healthcare facilities face while enhancing their circular economy approach. This research is intended to pave the way for further research including specific research to enhance the understanding of the solutions and how these may fit the current regulatory landscape.

Saturated steam remains the primary sterilization modality in healthcare facilities globally; however, superheated steam may compromise sterile barrier integrity. Limited data characterize how superheated steam affects peel-pouch sterile barriers under controlled conditions. This pilot study evaluated peel-pouch performance under saturated steam control and experimental superheated steam conditions. Seventy-two samples were exposed to four exposure scenarios using an ISO 18472:2018 compliant BIER vessel: control and experimental treatment at both 121 °C and 132 °C (N = 18 per group). Outcomes included visual inspection (cracking, discoloration, peel-off), bubble emission testing and peel strength testing. Fisher exact tests with Bonferroni correction evaluated categorical outcomes; two-way ANOVA evaluated peel force data. Visual damage showed no statistically significant difference across conditions (Fisher–Freeman–Halton exact test, p = 0.422), ranging from 5.6% in controls to 22.2% at 121 °C experimental conditions (OR = 4.85, p = 0.038). Pairwise odds ratio estimates suggested a possible increase in visible damage under experimental conditions; however, the overall comparison was not statistically significant. Bubble emission testing revealed highly significant differences (p = 0.0014), with experimental conditions showing 71.43% failure at 121 °C versus 11.11% in controls. Peel strength was dramatically reduced in experimental samples (47.4% reduction; F = 154.83, p < 0.0001), independent of temperature. Visual inspection failed to detect barrier compromises evident through functional and mechanical testing. In controlled laboratory conditions using a single peel-pouch brand, exposure to controlled superheated steam conditions was associated with significant barrier damage. These findings underscore the need for comprehensive barrier testing beyond visual inspection in sterilization validation.

Over the last 30 years, significant geopolitical, social, and economic changes have impacted the OECD members and candidates, which has led to a significant improvement in the quality of life and life expectancy, with the reduction of the potential years of life lost one of the indicators of reduced mortality observed across the group. On the geopolitical side, the admission of the Baltic countries and their standardization of the metrics to track demographics more aligned with the internationally accepted practices, on the social side; the increase in life expectancy poses challenges to the care of the elders but also the extension on the age within the labor force and lastly, on the economic changes; the ongoing increase of income and GDP has led to an expanded access of care including goods and services. This paper explores the use of mortality information and potential years of life lost as a beacon to point toward the economic burden of poor health and its related mortality.

Premature mortality affects both developing and developed countries, having social and economic impacts. On the social side, premature mortality creates a shift in the population which affects the adequate functioning of systems like the pension funding. On the economic side, the income lost due premature mortality generate an impact both at household and macro level. The existing evidence, points towards a quantification of this burden as a function of the GDP, which lacks specificity to better understand the impact of this mortality or is leaning towards the purely epidemiological impact of mortality. a combination of using two methods to quantify economic burden, provides a different alternative to estimate the burden. the results show differences when using the value of statistical life method and the proposed modified production function. Having different methods to quantify economic burden of mortality provides another set of tools for researchers looking to quantify its impact and assess information to develop more specific public health interventions to address this.