Health professionals may no longer be allowed to wear powdered surgical gloves as Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has decided to ban most of the surgical gloves that are made with powder on the surface.

There are some latex gloves that can harm both a patient and a doctor, announced the U.S. FDA on Monday. Powdered surgical gloves are easier to wear, but they could cause a number of problems including breathing issues and wound inflammation, as per the agency.

A government-funded study found that the ban will not affect manufacturer sales and glove supplies in the country. Most of the powdered gloves have been banned, and just six manufacturers are still supplying these gloves in the country, said FDA.

The agency has taken the decision for the health of a patient and a health care professional, said Dr. Jeffrey Shuren, head of the FDA's medical device center. The ban will protect them from danger thy might don’t know, Shuren added.

In 1998, consumer watchdog group Public Citizen urged FDA to ban these gloves. It stated that the powdered gloves lead to allergic reactions which could be dangerous. The group believed that approximately 75% surgical gloves in the country have the powder.

“The fact that it took the FDA 18 years to propose banning the powdered surgical gloves from the market, highlights how recklessly negligent the agency is. There is absolutely no new scientific information today that we didn't have in 1998”, said Dr. Sidney Wolfe from Public Citizen.

This is not the first time when FDA announced to ban the supply of a medical product. In 1983, it proposed to ban fake hair implants, citing the risks of infections and injuries. The agency, that time, said that the fibers used were not effective.