Petition · past parliament · Department of Health and Social Care
Ban pink mouth sponges in England as they are in Wales
Closed
40 signatures
What the petition asks
The Government should ban the use of oral swabs with a foam head. They are on the medical device alert in England & are now banned in Wales because the foam heads of oral swabs may detach from the stick during use, which can present a choking hazard for patients.
Because hospitals continue to purchase pink mouth sponges and healthcare workers continue to use them, sometimes in ways which can increase the risk of the device failing and causing choking, for example by soaking them in liquid before use which can affect the strength of the foam head attachment, which could cause harm despite the medical alert.
Timeline
| 17 Aug 2021 | Petition opened for signatures |
| 17 Feb 2022 | Closed to new signatures |
Key facts
Signatures
40
Status
Closed
Department
Department of Health and Social Care
Opened
17 Aug 2021
Closed
17 Feb 2022
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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 15 Jul 2026.