Expertly curated sterilization and infection control news. Plus tips and best practices on how to get the most out of your Andersen Sterilizer.
Andersen’s innovation, affordability and customer service is earning headlines! North Carolina Biotechnology Center wrote an article “Andersen Sterilizers: An NC Company with a Global Impact” published this morning.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced it is investigating reports of infections associated with reprocessed urological endoscopes. The FDA received more than 450 medical device reports (MDRs) describing post-procedure patient infections or other contamination issues associated with reprocessing urological endoscopes. Andersen’s EOGas 4 presents an FDA-cleared terminal sterilization option for the urological endoscopes under investigation, as well as significantly longer and smaller diameter scopes.
Andersen recently welcomed leadership from North Carolina Biotechnology Center (NCBiotech) to tour its manufacturing campus in Haw River, NC, and industrial sterilization sister company, Andersen Scientific in Morrisville, NC. Andersen works with NCBiotech to provide critical sterilization resources for start-ups, R&D departments and companies developing strategies to bring devices to market in North Carolina.
Jennifer Hoch, DVM, opened Mobile Veterinary Surgical Services (MVSS) out of Oak Ridge, NC in March of 2020. We caught up with her recently to ask how things were going. Dr. Hoch said EO’s ability to sterilize gently and effectively allows her practice the ability to save significant resources normally spent on equipment purchasing and maintenance.
Andersen’s EOGas 4 is the first, and only, sterilization system FDA 510k cleared for terminal sterilization of duodenoscopes and colonoscopes. A true game changer for healthcare facilities that sterilize these critical instruments. On a recent Beyond Clean podcast, Ted May, Andersen President and CEO, and Dr. Larry Muscarella of LFM Healthcare Solutions LLC, take you inside the science behind this one-of-a-kind sterilization technology proven to sterilize the toughest endoscopes on the market.
Andersen’s manufacturing team recently welcomed a newly commissioned Humidichip assembly machine that will increase production of the consumable by 400%. After about 6 months to build and ship, it has now been crane lifted to its new home in Andersen’s manufacturing headquarters in Haw River, NC.
Andersen’s EOGas 4 has received FDA 510(k) clearance for the only terminal sterilization solution for duodenoscopes and colonoscopes. With this clearance, the EOGas 4 sterilization system reflects the FDA’s latest validation expectations for terminal sterilization of lumened devices, including those with elevator mechanisms.
Andersen Sterilizers’ systems take your infection control to the next level. Our sterilizers are the perfect partner to your steam autoclave – protecting expensive instruments and scopes while keeping your clinic’s infection control nimble and well-fortified.
Andersen Sterilizers has been honored with the 2020 Small Business Environmental Stewardship Award. The medical device manufacturer based in Haw River, North Carolina, was recognized for its high-efficiency, low-emission sterilization process, and its cooperation with State and Federal officials on regulatory and permitting issues.
Two leading plastic surgeons with one big reason for loving Andersen: “It saves my practice money!” Watch their testimonials now. Andersen Sterilizers’ systems are the ideal solution for plastic surgeons as they satisfy all your practice’s top challenges and requirements, including: ROI in just a few months, tabletop, free support & training, only 17.6g of gas per cycle and more!
We visited with BluePearl of Richmond VA when the large veterinary emergency surgical practice upgraded to an EOGas 4 sterilizer. We asked them about the upgrade and the biggest benefits to their practice. One of them was drastically reduced repair and maintenance on drills and other surgical equipment – saving both money and time.
Directly following the premiere of Andersen’s “Beyond the Tour” episode, our sterilization experts & the Beyond Clean team participated in a live Q&A session with viewers.
Some of the questions addressed were:
-Isn’t EO more dangerous than other sterilization systems?
-I thought ethylene oxide was going to be banned.
-Are you suggesting ethylene oxide will replace hydrogen peroxide?
Read the highlights of the Q & A or watch the entire conversation.
Andersen is pleased to be featured in the world premiere of “Beyond the Tour” – a film series produced by Beyond Clean, highlighting stories of innovation and disruption in the healthcare industry that deserve to be told. In this premiere episode, Andersen takes viewers behind-the-scenes to reveal the processes, technology, culture and innovation that has made it a leader in 100% ethylene oxide (EO) sterilization for more than 60 years.
As the pandemic wears on, veterinary practices across the country are sharing uplifting messages with the public. These messages declare and request care and kindness, in a characteristically whimsical fashion sure to melt frustrated hearts.
The EPA, states, community groups and corporations continue to disagree – as the May 29 deadline for a new EPA regulation for EO draws near. – Andersen
Texas says ethylene oxide is far less hazardous than the US Environmental Protection Agency determined in 2016.
The story of COVID-19’s impact in animals continues to evolve rapidly. Our friends at the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) have just released this updated informational page regarding “SARS-CoV-2 in animals.” – Andersen
American Veterinary Medical Association – On April 22, the CDC announced the first National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL)-confirmed cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection in two pet cats. These are the first pets in the United States to test positive for SARS-CoV-2. Currently we have no information that suggests that pets might be a source of infection for people with the coronavirus that causes COVID-19
Despite its somewhat sensational title, this opinion piece contains solid information on the recent history of EO and why the medical community should take another look at the science backing this incredibly effective sterilant. -Andersen
Issues & Insights — Medical devices can do more harm than good unless properly sterilized and disinfected by applying agents such as Ethylene Oxide (EtO) gas. And, because of deeply flawed federal studies and subsequent state and local actions based on this shoddy science, production of sterilizing agents such as EtO has been put on the backburner. Policymakers must examine all the evidence at hand and keep patients safe from COVID-19 contamination.
Andersen is honored to be working with our neighbors at UNC Chapel Hill, NC to ensure 1,500 N95 masks are decontaminated daily for the front line health workers at UNC Health during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Regulatory Affairs Professionals Society — As the supply of critical personal protective equipment (PPE) dwindles amid […]
Things took a dramatic turn in the US yesterday in relation to COVID-19. Here is a interesting snapshot, shown in 9 infographics. – Andersen
Vox Media — The outbreak of Covid-19, a coronavirus-caused illness that originated in Wuhan, China, and has since spread to most of the world, is one of the most serious public health crises in decades