The U.S. disposable natural rubber latex (NRL) gloves market exploded during the late 1980s as new health regulations were established due to the AIDS epidemic. The Universal Health Precautions and regulations by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) were implemented requiring all health workers to wear gloves when treating or examining patients. However, the dramatic increased usage of NRL gloves led to greater incidences of allergic reactions to proteins found in NRL. As a result, companies shifted their production away from powder NRL gloves toward powder-free latex and synthetic gloves. Currently, the U.S. disposable glove market is matured with product shifts occurring and high growth segments existing.