Today's Topline - 5/11/20
Monday, May 11, 2020
Source: MedTech Association
Good Monday morning:
The work week begins with stories of the confounding nature of COVID-19. Washington Post reporters Lenny Bernstein and Ariana Eunjung Cha detail the myriad ways the coronavirus effects humans, while New York Times reporter Jason Horowitz tells the story of Italian coronavirus survivors who continue to feel ill months after ostensibly recovering from the disease. Bernstein and Cha write “It attacks the heart, weakening its muscles and disrupting its critical rhythm. It savages kidneys so badly some hospitals have run short of dialysis equipment. It crawls along the nervous system, destroying taste and smell and occasionally reaching the brain. It creates blood clots that can kill with sudden efficiency and inflames blood vessels throughout the body. It can begin with a few symptoms or none at all, then days later, squeeze the air out of the lungs without warning. It picks on the elderly, people weakened by previous disease, and, disproportionately, the obese. It harms men more than women, but there are also signs it complicates pregnancies. It mostly spares the young. Until it doesn’t: Last week, doctors warned of a rare inflammatory reaction with cardiac complications among children that may be connected to the virus. On Friday, New York Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo announced 73 children had fallen severely ill in the state and a 5-year-old boy in New York City had become the first child to die of the syndrome. Two more children had succumbed as of Saturday.”
In its latest blog post, MedTech member, Tapecon, discusses how the COVID-19 pandemic has put a spotlight on the importance of combating hospital acquired infections (HAIs). Tapecon works with medical device manufacturers to incorporate technology in their products to help reduce HAIs
For example, one solution to infection spread through the touching of control panels is to print graphic overlays or membrane switches on substrates featuring anti-microbial Microban technology. Microban is a plastic additive that inhibits microbial survival, reproduction, and colonization. While it is not a substitute for regular cleaning and disinfecting of equipment, Microban provides 24/7 protection for the lifetime of the product (it does not wear out or wash away).
Similarly, a method for ensuring sterilization in fast-paced and high-volume medical settings is incorporating printed indicators. Using functional inks that react to a specific environmental factor, printed indicators can provide visual confirmation of multiple sterilization processes, including radiation (gamma), ethylene oxide gas, or steam.
As Casey Cephas, Tapecon’s Marketing Coordinator notes, “if the COVID-19 pandemic has taught us anything, it's that there's a critical need to reduce health risks for patients and medical professionals. As an experienced custom converter with materials expertise, Tapecon is here to help you design your products to prevent issues such as hospital acquired infections.
MedTech exists to deliver value to the bio/med industry and serve those on the front lines of healthcare advances. We rely on our members to make that possible. Please take a moment to join or renew your membership today. Renewing members can lock in last year’s rate through 2021. New members who join today will receive 3 free months on their membership year. Don’t wait. We need your support to continue the work we do.
As always, don’t hesitate to contact us with your specific questions and concerns. Regular updates can be found at our website, which is refreshed daily.