Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2000. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
PRNewswire - October 26, 2000
The legislation updates the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA) Bloodborne Pathogen Standard to account for advances in safety technology, such as Calypte's needleless HIV-1 urine screening test, that will help prevent needlestick injuries to health care workers.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are over 300,000 needlestick injuries that occur in hospitals each year and as many as 800,000 that occur in all health care settings annually. These injuries could prove fatal as health care workers may contract Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and/or the Hepatitis B (HBV) or Hepatitis C (HCV) virus.
Needlestick injuries to health care workers are not only deadly, but are also costly, draining an overburdened health care system. Estimates indicate that lost productivity and costs associated with testing and treating diseases from these injuries tax the health care system anywhere from $300 million to over $1 billion annually.
Calypte Biomedical President and CEO Nancy Katz said, "This legislation ensures that Federal regulations will keep pace with rapidly advancing safety technologies." She continued, "As the sole manufacturer of an FDA approved HIV-1 urine test, Calypte has long been supportive of efforts to protect health care workers from needlestick injuries. We are committed to developing alternative fluid tests that eliminate the need for needles in diagnostic testing."
H.R. 5178 will help reduce needlestick injuries and the costs associated with these injuries. Studies show that 62% - 82% of the 800,000 annual injuries could be prevented if safer needles or needleless technologies were used. Other studies suggest that the health care system will realize a net savings by preventing needlestick injuries.
This bill has the support of a broad based coalition that includes the Service Employees International Union; the American Nurses Association; the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees; the American Hospital Association, and others. Based on the overwhelming support for H.R. 5178, Calypte urges the Administration to fully implement this legislation as soon as possible.
SOURCE Calypte Biomedical Corporation Web Site: http://www.calypte.com
001026
PR001041
Copyright © 2000 - PRNewswire. All rights reserved. Reproduced with permission. Reproduction of this article (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through PRNewswire, Permissions, 810 Seventh Ave., 32nd Floor, New York, NY 10019 http://www.prnewswire.com.
AEGiS is a 501(c)3, not-for-profit, tax-exempt, educational corporation. AEGiS is made possible through unrestricted funding from Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, Elton John AIDS Foundation, National Library of Medicine, and donations from users like you.
Always watch for outdated information. This article first appeared in 2000. This material is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between you and your doctor.
AEGiS presents published material, reprinted with permission and neither endorses nor opposes any material. All information contained on this website, including information relating to health conditions, products, and treatments, is for informational purposes only. It is often presented in summary or aggregate form. It is not meant to be a substitute for the advice provided by your own physician or other medical professionals. Always discuss treatment options with a doctor who specializes in treating HIV.
Copyright ©1980, 2000. AEGiS. All materials appearing on AEGiS are protected by copyright as a collective work or compilation under U.S. copyright and other laws and are the property of AEGiS, or the party credited as the provider of the content. .