A radiation curable composition for an adhesive includes a polyurethane, for example a polyurethane comprising residues of a polyether diol or a polyester diol, capped with residues of a hydroxyalkyl acrylate or methacrylate and non-polymerizable residues of a primary or secondary alcohol. The compositions may be cured to form a pressure sensitive adhesive and can be employed to produce adhesive dressings by coating a suitable substrate with the composition and thereafter curing the coated composition by, for example, electron beam or ultra violet irradiation.