Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2000. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
PRNewswire - Wednesday November 22, 2000
"Vascular Access is committed to the health and well-being of healthcare workers and, together with other safety device manufacturers, has been a strong supporter of the legislation," said Melanie Barstad, Vice President of Vascular Access (formerly Johnson & Johnson Medical Vascular Access), which manufactures a wide range of safety catheter devices.
Studies show that up to one million needlestick injuries occur each year in the health care community. Described as "sharps injuries," these accidents expose healthcare professionals to a variety of bloodborne diseases, including not only HIV and Hepatitis B, but also Hepatitis C, for which there is no cure. The CDC estimates that each year accidental needlesticks lead to 800 cases of Hepatitis B and more than 1,000 cases of Hepatitis C. In addition, 191 documented and possible cases of HIV infection have been attributed to the use of unshielded needle devices.
"The first tenet of the Johnson & Johnson Credo is responsibility to healthcare workers. We applaud the House of Representatives, Senate and President Clinton for passing the Needlestick Safety and Stick Safety legislation," said Ralph Larsen, Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer, Johnson & Johnson.
Vascular Access has been a leader in the safety IV catheter market since 1988. Since that time, more than 200 million units of its PROTECTIV(TM) I.V. Catheter Safety System have been used in more than 1,200 hospitals throughout the country. Taking this innovation a step further, Vascular Access recently introduced the PROTECTIV(TM) ACUVANCE(TM) IV Safety Catheter, the first catheter with a completely passive, self-blunting safety mechanism. Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. is now the only company offering both fully-encased and passive safety I.V. catheter products. Continuing its commitment to safety in high-risk areas, Vascular Access will soon be entering the blood collection category with a product licensed from Specialized Health Products.
Ethicon Endo Surgery, Vascular Access is a company of Johnson & Johnson, the world's most broadly-based manufacturer of healthcare products and services.
SOURCE: Ethicon Endo Surgery, Vascular Access
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