Germgard's Ultra-Fast Hand Hygiene Solution Protects Against Deadly MRSA, C Difficile, And Influenza Virus

Main Category: MRSA / Drug Resistance
Also Included In: Infectious Diseases / Bacteria / Viruses;  Medical Devices / Diagnostics;  Preventive Medicine
Article Date: 30 Apr 2009 - 2:00 PDT

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In an effort to provide technology to reduce healthcare-associated infections, Germgard Lighting LLC, a New Jersey-based early-phase medical device company, has demonstrated its patented ultra-fast (~1 second) hand hygiene solution. The solution is designed to protect hospital patients and medical professionals from exposure to dangerous, life-threatening pathogens in healthcare facilities. It enables effective, frequent and instantaneous hygiene practice at the immediate point of care.

Germgard provides the solution for the philosophy enunciated by The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which has produced an infection prevention video to be shown to patients entering the hospital. The goal of the video is to teach patients to demand effective hand hygiene from healthcare workers and doctors, who will take care of them during their stay, as well as visitors so that the patient is not exposed to pathogens leading to an infection.

The message of the video is "Demand that doctors, healthcare workers, and all visitors wash their hands or use alcohol rub each and every time they are about to touch you or your surround," summarizes Germgard CEO Dr. Eugene I. Gordon. He adds, "It warns that hands are contaminated by every surface they touch in the room and inevitably will transfer pathogens to the patient unless the hands are sanitized just before touching the patient."

The Germgard philosophy has been that although the goal is obvious and sound there is no practical way a doctor and healthcare worker can spend 30 seconds or more sanitizing their hands each and every time they must touch the patient. That would add many minutes to the time with each patient and that is prohibitive. Moreover, the skin of the hand would get irritated from so much hand-washing or use of alcohol rubs.

Gordon emphasizes, "The CDC is correct about the cause of hospital acquired infections, but they recommend a solution that is not practicable."

Germgard's unique solution for hand hygiene will resolve the persistent issues of speed, efficacy, and skin irritation that have long plagued hand hygiene practice in hospitals and clinics, and placed at risk millions of patients as well as the financial well-being of healthcare. It will also find applications in schools and food service establishments.

Germgard Lighting LLC is funded by and located in a NJ Commission on Science and Technology supported innovation incubator on the campus of the U.S. Army Picatinny Arsenal. Its technology pipeline enables a multi-tiered approach to infection prevention that includes cost-effective bare and gloved hand sanitation, medical instrument sterilization, surface cleaning, and air sterilization.

Source: Germgard Lighting LLC

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