4015.12.10.10 - Medical gloves, mittens and mitts

This HTS category, 4015.12.10.10, specifically classifies medical gloves, mittens, and mitts manufactured from vulcanized rubber, excluding hard rubber. These items are designed and intended for use in medical settings, encompassing a broad range of applications within healthcare where protective handwear is essential. The scope includes disposable and reusable gloves used by healthcare professionals for patient care, examinations, and general medical procedures where contamination prevention is paramount.

It is crucial to distinguish this category from its sibling, 4015.12.10.20, which covers surgical gloves. While both are intended for medical purposes, surgical gloves are typically manufactured to meet stringent sterility requirements and undergo specific sterilization processes for use in invasive procedures. This category, 4015.12.10.10, covers medical gloves that, while still protective, may not require the same level of sterility or are intended for non-surgical, diagnostic, or examination purposes.

As a leaf node, this classification does not have further subcategories. Therefore, the classification hinges on the specific end-use and the material composition conforming to the parent category's definition of vulcanized rubber. For practical classification, emphasis should be placed on the intended use for general medical or examination purposes, as opposed to the specialized requirements for surgical applications.