Chlorine is used in the production of 85 percent of the pharmaceuticals used to combat infection and disease. The most common pain reliever used in hospitals, acetaminophen is made with chlorine. So is vancomycin the only effective antibiotic in the battle against hospital staph infections. And so are drugs used in the fight against cancer, AIDS and many other diseases. Additionally, X-rays and mammographies would not be possible without the help of chlorine chemistry.
Infections are a significant threat in hospitals.
Chlorine based cleaners disinfect work surfaces and equipment prevent bacterial contamination of patients' burns and wounds, and kill deadly bacteria, such as Legionnaire's Disease, that could contaminate hospital water and air conditioning systems. Computers and electronic devices play an increasingly important role in health care, from the emergency room to the operating room. The lives of patients who have lost limbs through accidents or disease are immeasurably improved through the use of artificial limbs or prosthetics. Chlorine-based plastics are used in the manufacture of thousands of these prosthetic devices. Chlorine even plays a role in the human body, in the form of hydrochloric acid that aids the digestive process and enables white blood cells to fight off infections.