Mountain View, Calif. Manufacturers of IV solutions that use containers made of polyvinyl chloride are scrambling to find alternatives to the PVC bags after an American Nurses Association study reported potentially harmful effects on patients, says a new Frost & Sullivan report.

"Considering that the vast majority of IV solution manufacturers use PVC containers, converting to non-PVC materials will be a difficult task," it said. "Phasing out the production of PVC medical products is an expensive and time-consuming process, which may reduce future industry profitability."

The market was valued at $1 billion in 1998, according to the report, U.S. Intravenous Solution Markets. -S.H. HC