There are many explanations on why reports of latex allergies have increased.  The primary reason is the increased use of medical exam gloves.  During the AIDS scare, latex gloves have become the glove of choice for the medical industry and this was prior to knowing the risks associated with latex allergies.  Some advocates claim that as the demand for latex gloves increased, the quality of how these exam gloves are produced declined as the number of suppliers increased.  Today, the FDA regulates the production of medical gloves strictly and minimizes the supply of bad products that are imported into the States. 

It is also believed that years ago, the number of latex allergies reports is nowhere near the number of victims due to the lack of education.  As more and more individuals are educated on the concerns and symptoms of latex allergies, more cases have been opened.

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