Monthly Archives: September 2014

C Diff Foundation Kicks Off Raising C. diff. Awareness Week beginning November 1st

cdiffNovemberribbon

Beginning November 1st, join the C Diff Foundation in “Raising C. diff. Awareness Week.”

Let’s begin promoting C. difficile prevention and begin witnessing a decrease in newly diagnosed C. difficile infections worldwide.

HAND-WASHING remains the number one prevention. Follow the hand washing procedures to ensure proper and effective technique:

 

  • Wet your hands with clean, running water (warm or cold), turn off the tap, and apply soap.
  • Lather your hands by rubbing them together with the soap. Be sure to lather the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails.
  • Scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds. Need a timer? Hum the “Happy Birthday” song from beginning to end twice.
  • Rinse your hands well under clean, running water.
  • Dry your hands using a clean towel or air dry them.

When is it a good time to wash hands?

Before, during, and after preparing food, Before eating food,Before and after patient care, Before and after treating a cut or wound, Before exiting a restroom, After a diaper change, After blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing, After petting a pet or any livestock animals, After touching garbage, AND OFTEN.

The Centers of Disease Control and Prevention recommends infection control protocols be shared between healthcare professionals and long-term facility administrators for the safety of the patient, visitors, and other patient’s safety.

Question the necessity of antibiotics to treat symptoms. Unnecessary use of antibiotics raises the risk of acquiring a C. difficile infection. Remember antibiotics do not effect viruses. Healthcare professionals; confirming a bacterial infection before prescribing antibiotic course of treatment is advised.

Testing: When a patient presents symptoms (diarrhea with abdominal cramping/pain, fatigue, fever) ordering a C. difficile stool test to rule out a C. diff. infection is beneficial, especially if the patient has been treated with antibiotics within ninety-days.

Environmental Safety: Disinfecting a patient’s room, treated for a positive C. difficile infection, with a bleach or Federal EPA registered spore-killing product will help eliminate C. difficile spores from being spread to another patient’s room. Environmental safety is also an important matter in home-care. Cleaning all high-touch areas in both long-term and acute care facilities, and home environments will help decrease the spread of this infection. (High-touch surfaces: light switches, door knobs/handles, bed-side commodes, bathroom hand rails, commode, sink and sink handles, counter-tops, floors, bath-tubs, showers, canes, wheel-chairs, and all medical equipment in a patient’s room).

Person Protection: Visitors and Environmental professionals, wear proper personal protection equipment when treating and cleaning areas/rooms of a C. difficile patient. (gloves, gowns, shoe coverings, protective eye wear if using using spray solutions).

Patient Isolation: Protect the patient and others by keeping a C. difficile patient in isolation in long-term and acute care facilities. This will prevent the spread of infection to others and other areas within the facilities.

Communication: If a patient is being transferred from either a long-term or acute care facility, communicate to the facility intake personnel the patient’s C. diff. infection and necessary infection control protocols to be implemented for the patient and other patient’s safety.

The CDC has been sharing public announcements regarding the use of Antibiotics for both healthcare professionals and patients alike. Colds, Ear and Sinus symptoms may be caused by a virus, not bacteria. Taking antibiotics to treat a virus makes antibiotic medications less effective when they are needed while raising the risk of acquiring a C. difficile infection. Limit the use of Antibiotics to reduce the risk of acquiring a C. difficile infection (Bacterial infections and the treatment of symptoms will be determined and should be followed by the treating healthcare professionals). * November 17-23rd, 2014 join the CDC’s Get Smart: Know When Antibiotics Work campaign.

None of us can do this alone…..all of us can do this TOGETHER!

For additional C. difficile information, review the archives and categories available on the website : http://www.cdifffoundation.org

 

 

 

Sources: CDC, C Diff Foundation Chairperson Infection Control

Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria - By Executive Order - Task Force To Be Organized

Released 18th of September 2014

Executive Order — Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria

EXECUTIVE ORDER - COMBATING ANTIBIOTIC-RESISTANT BACTERIA

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, I hereby order as follows:

Section 1. Policy. The discovery of antibiotics in the early 20th century fundamentally transformed human and veterinary medicine. Antibiotics save millions of lives each year in the United States and around the world. The rise of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, however, represents a serious threat to public health and the economy. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) estimates that annually at least two million illnesses and 23,000 deaths are caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria in the United States alone.Detecting, preventing, and controlling antibiotic resistance requires a strategic, coordinated, and sustained effort. It also depends on the engagement of governments, academia, industry, healthcare providers, the general public, and the agricultural community, as well as international partners. Success in this effort will require significant efforts to: minimize the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria; preserve the efficacy of new and existing antibacterial drugs; advance research to develop improved methods for combating antibiotic resistance and conducting antibiotic stewardship; strengthen surveillance efforts in public health and agriculture; develop and promote the use of new, rapid diagnostic technologies; accelerate scientific research and facilitate the development of new antibacterial drugs, vaccines, diagnostics, and other novel therapeutics; maximize the dissemination of the most up-to-date information on the appropriate and proper use of antibiotics to the general public and healthcare providers; work with the pharmaceutical industry to include information on the proper use of over-the-counter and prescription antibiotic medications for humans and animals; and improve international collaboration and capabilities for prevention, surveillance, stewardship, basic research, and drug and diagnostics development.

The Federal Government will work domestically and internationally to detect, prevent, and control illness and death related to antibiotic-resistant infections by implementing measures that reduce the emergence and spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and help ensure the continued availability of effective therapeutics for the treatment of bacterial infections.

Sec. 2. Oversight and Coordination. Combating antibiotic-resistant bacteria is a national security priority. The National Security Council staff, in collaboration with the Office of Science and Technology Policy, the Domestic Policy Council, and the Office of Management and Budget, shall coordinate the development and implementation of Federal Government policies to combat antibiotic-resistant bacteria, including the activities, reports, and recommendations of the Task Force for Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria established in section 3 of this order.

Sec. 3. Task Force for Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria. There is hereby established the Task Force for Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria (Task Force), to be co-chaired by the Secretaries of Defense, Agriculture, and HHS.

(a) Membership. In addition to the Co-Chairs, the Task Force shall consist of representatives from:

(i) the Department of State;

(ii) the Department of Justice;

(iii) the Department of Veterans Affairs;

(iv) the Department of Homeland Security;

(v) the Environmental Protection Agency;

(vi) the United States Agency for International Development;

(vii) the Office of Management and Budget;

(viii) the Domestic Policy Council;

(ix) the National Security Council staff;

(x) the Office of Science and Technology Policy;

(xi) the National Science Foundation; and

(xii) such executive departments, agencies, or offices as the Co-Chairs may designate.

Each executive department, agency, or office represented on the Task Force (Task Force agency) shall designate an employee of the Federal Government to perform the functions of the Task Force. In performing its functions, the Task Force may make use of existing interagency task forces on antibiotic resistance.

(b) Mission. The Task Force shall identify actions that will provide for the facilitation and monitoring of implementation of this order and the National Strategy for Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria (Strategy).

(c) Functions.

(i) By February 15, 2015, the Task Force shall submit a 5-year National Action Plan (Action Plan) to the President that outlines specific actions to be taken to implement the Strategy. The Action Plan shall include goals, milestones, and metrics for measuring progress, as well as associated timelines for implementation. The Action Plan shall address recommendations made by the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology regarding combating antibiotic resistance.

(ii) Within 180 days of the release of the Action Plan and each year thereafter, the Task Force shall provide the President with an update on Federal Government actions to combat antibiotic resistance consistent with this order, including progress made in implementing the Strategy and Action Plan, plans for addressing any barriers preventing full implementation of the Strategy and Action Plan, and recommendations for new or modified actions. Annual updates shall include specific goals, milestones, and metrics for all proposed actions and recommendations. The Task Force shall take Federal Government resources into consideration when developing these proposed actions and recommendations.

(iii) In performing its functions, the Task Force shall review relevant statutes, regulations, policies, and programs, and shall consult with relevant domestic and international organizations and experts, as necessary.

(iv) The Task Force shall conduct an assessment of progress made towards achieving the milestones and goals outlined in the Strategy in conjunction with the Advisory Council established pursuant to section 4 of this order.

Sec. 4. Presidential Advisory Council on Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria. (a) The Secretary of HHS (Secretary), in consultation with the Secretaries of Defense and Agriculture, shall establish the Presidential Advisory Council on Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria (Advisory Council). The Advisory Council shall be composed of not more than 30 members to be appointed or designated by the Secretary.

(b) The Secretary shall designate a chairperson from among the members of the Advisory Council.

(c) The Advisory Council shall provide advice, information, and recommendations to the Secretary regarding programs and policies intended to: preserve the effectiveness of antibiotics by optimizing their use; advance research to develop improved methods for combating antibiotic resistance and conducting antibiotic stewardship; strengthen surveillance of antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections; prevent the transmission of antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections; advance the development of rapid point-of-care and agricultural diagnostics; further research on new treatments for bacterial infections; develop alternatives to antibiotics for agricultural purposes; maximize the dissemination of up-to-date information on the appropriate and proper use of antibiotics to the general public and human and animal healthcare providers; and improve international coordination of efforts to combat antibiotic resistance. The Secretary shall provide the President with all written reports created by the Advisory Council.

(d) Task Force agencies shall, to the extent permitted by law, provide the Advisory Council with such information as it may require for purposes of carrying out its functions.

(e) To the extent permitted by law, and subject to the availability of appropriations, HHS shall provide the Advisory Council with such funds and support as may be necessary for the performance of its functions.

Sec. 5. Improved Antibiotic Stewardship. (a) By the end of calendar year 2016, HHS shall review existing regulations and propose new regulations or other actions, as appropriate, that require hospitals and other inpatient healthcare delivery facilities to implement robust antibiotic stewardship programs that adhere to best practices, such as those identified by the CDC. HHS shall also take steps to encourage other healthcare facilities, such as ambulatory surgery centers and dialysis facilities, to adopt antibiotic stewardship programs.

(b) Task Force agencies shall, as appropriate, define, promulgate, and implement stewardship programs in other healthcare settings, including office-based practices, outpatient settings, emergency departments, and institutional and long-term care facilities such as nursing homes, pharmacies, and correctional facilities.

(c) By the end of calendar year 2016, the Department of Defense (DoD) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) shall review their existing regulations and, as appropriate, propose new regulations and other actions that require their hospitals and long-term care facilities to implement robust antibiotic stewardship programs that adhere to best practices, such as those defined by the CDC. DoD and the VA shall also take steps to encourage their other healthcare facilities, such as ambulatory surgery centers and outpatient clinics, to adopt antibiotic stewardship programs.

(d) Task Force agencies shall, as appropriate, monitor improvements in antibiotic use through the National Healthcare Safety Network and other systems.

(e) The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in HHS, in coordination with the Department of Agriculture (USDA), shall continue taking steps to eliminate the use of medically important classes of antibiotics for growth promotion purposes in food-producing animals.

(f) USDA, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and FDA shall strengthen coordination in common program areas, such as surveillance of antibiotic use and resistance patterns in food-producing animals, inter-species disease transmissibility, and research findings.

(g) DoD, HHS, and the VA shall review existing regulations and propose new regulations and other actions, as appropriate, to standardize the collection and sharing of antibiotic resistance data across all their healthcare settings.

Sec. 6. Strengthening National Surveillance Efforts for Resistant Bacteria. (a) The Task Force shall ensure that the Action Plan includes procedures for creating and integrating surveillance systems and laboratory networks to provide timely, high-quality data across healthcare and agricultural settings, including detailed genomic and other information, adequate to track resistant bacteria across diverse settings. The network-integrated surveillance systems and laboratory networks shall include common information requirements, repositories for bacteria isolates and other samples, a curated genomic database, rules for access to samples and scientific data, standards for electronic health record-based reporting, data transparency, budget coordination, and international coordination.

(b) Task Force agencies shall, as appropriate, link data from Federal Government sample isolate repositories for bacteria strains to an integrated surveillance system, and, where feasible, the repositories shall enhance their sample collections and further interoperable data systems with national surveillance efforts.

(c) USDA, EPA, and FDA shall work together with stakeholders to monitor and report on changes in antibiotic use in agriculture and their impact on the environment.

(d) Task Force agencies shall, as appropriate, monitor antibiotic resistance in healthcare settings through the National Healthcare Safety Network and related systems.

Sec. 7. Preventing and Responding to Infections and Outbreaks with Antibiotic-Resistant Organisms. (a) Task Force agencies shall, as appropriate, utilize the enhanced surveillance activities described in section 6 of this order to prevent antibiotic-resistant infections by: actively identifying and responding to antibiotic-resistant outbreaks; preventing outbreaks and transmission of antibiotic-resistant infections in healthcare, community, and agricultural settings through early detection and tracking of resistant organisms; and identifying and evaluating additional strategies in the healthcare and community settings for the effective prevention and control of antibiotic-resistant infections.

(b) Task Force agencies shall take steps to implement the measures and achieve the milestones outlined in the Strategy and Action Plan.

(c) DoD, HHS, and the VA shall review and, as appropriate, update their hospital and long-term care infectious disease protocols for identifying, isolating, and treating antibiotic-resistant bacterial infection cases.

Sec. 8. Promoting New and Next Generation Antibiotics and Diagnostics. (a) As part of the Action Plan, the Task Force shall describe steps that agencies can take to encourage the development of new and next-generation antibacterial drugs, diagnostics, vaccines, and novel therapeutics for both the public and agricultural sectors, including steps to develop infrastructure for clinical trials and options for attracting greater private investment in the development of new antibiotics and rapid point-of-care diagnostics. Task Force agency efforts shall focus on addressing areas of unmet medical need for individuals, including those antibiotic-resistant bacteria CDC has identified as public and agricultural health threats.

(b) Together with the countermeasures it develops for biodefense threats, the Biomedical Advanced Research Development

Authority in HHS shall develop new and next-generation countermeasures that target antibiotic-resistant bacteria that present a serious or urgent threat to public health.

(c) The Public Health Emergency Medical Countermeasures Enterprise in HHS shall, as appropriate, coordinate with Task Force agencies’ efforts to promote new and next-generation countermeasures to target antibiotic-resistant bacteria that present a serious or urgent threat to public health.

Sec. 9. International Cooperation. Within 30 days of the date of this order, the Secretaries of State, USDA, and HHS shall designate representatives to engage in international action to combat antibiotic-resistant bacteria, including the development of the World Health Organization (WHO) Global Action Plan for Antimicrobial Resistance with the WHO, Member States, and other relevant organizations. The Secretaries of State, USDA, and HHS shall conduct a review of international collaboration activities and partnerships, and identify and pursue opportunities for enhanced prevention, surveillance, research and development, and policy engagement. All Task Force agencies with research and development activities related to antibiotic resistance shall, as appropriate, expand existing bilateral and multilateral scientific cooperation and research pursuant to the Action Plan.

Sec. 10. General Provisions. (a) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.

(b) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:

(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or

(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.

(c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.

(d) Insofar as the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended (5 U.S.C. App.) (the “Act”), may apply to the Advisory Council, any functions of the President under the Act, except for that of reporting to the Congress, shall be performed by the Secretary in accordance with the guidelines issued by the Administrator of General Services.

BARACK OBAMA

THE WHITE HOUSE,
September 18, 2014.

American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Family Physicians guidelines help doctors and parents decide on the best treatment for ear infections in children.

Most Ear Infections in Children Get Better without Antibiotics

*In the news* Using antibiotics when they are not necessary promotes the development of bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics. For this reason, doctors have been trying to identify certain types of infections that do not need to be treated with antibiotics, and fewer antibiotics are being used. Many infections - such as the common cold, acute bronchitis, or sinus congestion that has been present for less than a week - are caused by viruses. Antibiotics are not able to improve viral infections.

Some ear infections (acute otitis media) in children are different. Although many are caused by viruses, a substantial number are indeed caused by bacteria. In fact, acute otitis media is the most common infection for which antibiotics are prescribed for children in the United States. However, most ear infections, even those caused by bacteria, will get better in a few days without antibiotics. The latest American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Family Physicians guidelines help doctors and parents decide on the best treatment for ear infections in children.

These guidelines do not say that doctors should never use antibiotics for ear infections. Instead, they urge doctors to first make a careful diagnosis (not immediately labeling all ear pain as acute otitis media), to focus on pain relief, and to consider not using antibiotics immediately, especially in children who are over age 2 years with mild or moderate ear findings. Even children ages 6 months to 23 months with a mild infection in only one ear usually don’t need immediate antibiotic treatment. Doctors and parents alike often think an antibiotic should be prescribed when the diagnosis of ear infection is made. Therefore, changing the norm by using these new guidelines may feel somewhat uncomfortable. A strong case can be made, though, for the good of the child as well as for the public.

  • Antibiotics could cause your child more harm than good. While treating an infection, they also kill harmless bacteria (called “normal flora”) that are normally found in the mouth and throat, intestine, skin, and vagina. When these natural bacteria are eliminated, other potentially harmful bacteria strains that are resistant to the antibiotic can make use of the abandoned resources and can multiply more easily. For example, when antibiotics kill the normal flora in the intestine, the bacteria Clostridium difficile can grow, causing severe diarrhea. Growth of non-bacteria agents such as yeast can result in irritation and yeast plaques on the throat or in the vagina.
  • Bacteria that are resistant to an antibiotic prescribed for your child will survive treatment, and they can multiply and colonize your child’s nose and airway. The next infection your child has may be more severe, yet it may not respond to usual treatment.
  • For the benefit of the community at large, it is most important that we slow the emergence of drug-resistant bacteria. Expansion of any population of drug-resistant bacteria can affect the safety of the whole human race, since we are left holding ineffective drug-weapons to fight them when these bugs do cause a serious infection.

Doctors who are prescribing antibiotics more sparingly are practicing good medicine, and this includes avoiding antibiotics for many childhood ear infections, when appropriate. However, ear infections in children younger than 6 months and those in older children with more severe symptoms will continue to be treated with antibiotics. It is still important to speak with your child’s doctor if your child has symptoms of an ear infection. The guidelines emphasize the importance of a careful exam and a good history to make an accurate diagnosis of ear infection. You can help your doctor decide whether your child’s ear infection is severe enough to need antibiotics by accurately reporting symptoms. Take your child’s temperature and record the level of fever. If your doctor has specified a safe dose of acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil or Motrin) for your child, try treating symptoms before your doctor examines your child, so that the effectiveness of pain medicines can be evaluated.

If you and your child’s doctor decide not to give antibiotics right away, the doctor will want to know if he or she is not improving as expected. This includes having more pain or fevers, or no improvement in the presenting symptoms after 48 to 72 hours. Antibiotics may then be necessary. The guidelines also emphasize prevention of ear infections. Keep up to date on your child’s immunization schedule. Maintain a non-smoking home and do not let others smoke around your child. Do not give your baby a bottle while she is lying down.

Try to stop (or at least limit) using a pacifier after 6 months of age. Breastfeeding an infant also appears to lower a child’s risk of ear infections.

Source:

http://www.intelihealth.com/article/most-ear-infections-in-children-get-better-without-antibiotics

C Diff Foundation Welcomes Dr. Simon Cutting, MS, PhD

We are pleased to welcome Dr. Simon Cutting, , from the School of Biological Sciences at the Royal Holloway University of London to the C Diff Foundation’s

Research and Development Committee and Research Community.

Professor Simon M. Cutting is a bacterial geneticist with over 25 years of experience with Bacillus since graduating from Oxford University with a D. Phil in 1986. His D.Phil was on understanding the genetic control of spore formation in Bacillus subtilis. After spending 7 years in the renowned laboratory of Professor Richard Losick at Harvard University Biological Laboratories (USA) he spent 3 years as an Assistant Professor at the University of Pennsylvania Medical School in Philadelphia.
He returned to the UK in 1996 and since then has worked on developing bacterial spores as novel oral vaccines at the Royal Holloway, University of London. The Cutting lab has developed a number of prototype oral vaccines and is now entering a ‘first in man’ phase 1/IIa clinical trial of a prototype oral vaccine to Clostridium difficile (see www.cdvax.org).
His work on Bacillus probiotics provides another area of his research interests and he was the first to address the fundamental mechanisms that might enable these bacteria to promote potential health benefit (SporeGen.com)

New Drug Formulations by a Team of Five Researchers in Singapore Fighting Respiratory Infections and Antibiotic-Resistant Superbugs

In the news:

A team of five researchers and clinicians in Singapore led by Dr Desmond Heng, ICES, has developed a new combination of drugs to effectively combat bacteria in the lungs which lead to common respiratory system infections, or bacteria-linked pulmonary diseases such as pneumonia, bronchiectasis and cystic fibrosis.

An acute upper respiratory tract infection, which includes the common flu, was reported to be among the top four conditions diagnosed at polyclinics for eight consecutive years, from 2006 to 2013.

Pneumonia on the other hand, was the second leading cause of death in 2012, contributing to 16.8 per cent of the total number of deaths from illnesses behind cancer.

The team has developed four new drug formulations of antibiotics and muco-actives which have proven to be extremely effective in laboratory trials in treating these diseases, as well as in reducing the antibiotic resistance of so-called “superbugs”.

To read the article in its entirety please click on the following link:

http://medicalxpress.com/news/2014-09-drug-boost-respiratory-illnesses-antibiotic-resistant.html

 

Antibiotic Prescriptions for Children and Teens, as Many as 11.4 Million Each Year

In The News *
As many as 11.4 million antibiotic prescriptions written each year for children and teens may be unnecessary, according to a study in the October 2014 issue of Pediatrics,
Some respiratory infections are viral, which means they won’t be helped by antibiotics. Yet antimicrobial drugs are sometimes prescribed for these viral infections. Researchers did a meta-analysis of studies from 2000 to 2011 that looked at acute respiratory tract infection (ARTI) bacterial prevalence rates. They also analyzed data on children age 18 and younger who were evaluated in ambulatory clinics from 2000 to 2010 to determine estimated antibiotic prescribing rates. Based on the prevalence of bacteria in ear and throat infections, and considering that pneumococcal vaccine is now preventing many bacterial infections, the researchers estimated that 27.4 percent of U.S. children with ARTI have bacterial illness. (This estimate is for infections of the ear, sinus area, throat, or upper respiratory system.) Yet antibiotics are prescribed for about 56.95 percent of ARTI visits. Currently there are no practical tools for clinicians to use to distinguish viral from bacterial illness, other than the rapid strep test for throat infections. The authors note that such tools are urgently needed and, in the meantime, doctors may add this knowledge of bacterial prevalence as a point in their decision-making and in discussing watch-and-wait strategies or other approaches with families.
American Academy of Pediatrics

NovaBay’s new Advanced i-Lid™ Cleanser, A Non-Antibiotic Antimicrobial Product for Cleaning, Removing Debris and Microbes from the Skin around the Eyes, the Eyelids and Eyelashes

NovaBay® Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NYSE MKT: NBY), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing topical non–antibiotic antimicrobial products, today announced that it is introducing a new eye care product, i-Lid™ Cleanser. The product is being introduced at the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (booth number 583) being held in Boston, MA April 25-29, 2014. Already cleared by the FDA through its 510(k) process, NovaBay’s Advanced i-Lid Cleanser can help patients with irritation of their eyelids by cleaning their lids and lashes and removing debris and microorganisms that often lead to vision problems.

Ron Najafi, PhD, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of NovaBay Pharmaceuticals commented: “We believe ophthalmologists and optometrists will find that NovaBay’s innovative Advanced i-Lid Cleanser™ offers significant advantages over currently marketed products which are merely “detergent based” lid and lash cleaners which offer little to no benefit”

Surveys of eye doctors show that more than 33% of the people who see an ophthalmologist or optometrist have a condition that involves the inflammation of the eyelid. Typically, doctors treat the condition by recommending careful cleaning of the lid and lash margin with warm compress and mild soap. However, in many cases, this condition can become chronic, and antibiotics and topical steroids may be necessary. Successful treatment usually also requires several times per day cleaning of the lids and lashes of debris and micro-organisms, which contributes to the chronic inflammation and irritation.

NovaBay’s Advanced i-Lid Cleanser offers a new option. Kathryn Najafi-Tagol, M.D., ophthalmologist and eye surgeon, glaucoma and cataract specialist and founder of the Eye Institute of Marin, has pioneered the use of i-Lid Cleanser to care for her patients. Dr. Najafi-Tagol is also a member of NovaBay’s Ophthalmic Advisory Board and serves as Medical Monitor for NovaBay’s conjunctivitis clinical trials. “Many of my patients who have been dealing with a condition known as blepharitis, which is the chronic irritation and accumulation of debris on the lids and lashes, have experienced beneficial effects and have been able to reduce or eliminate their need for other concurrent therapy, such as antibiotic steroid combinations,” commented Dr. Najafi-Tagol. “I believe that NovaBay’s advanced and unique i-Lid Cleanser has the potential to become the new standard of care for cleansing eyelids.”

Blepharitis is caused by bacteria which produce symptoms such as: Inflammation of the eyelids, redness, irritation, itchy eyelids and the formation of dandruff-like scales on eyelashes.

For more on Dr. Najafi-Tagol and her patients discussing the i-Lid Cleanser benefits and the difference it makes, please see this video:

April 23, 2014

NovaBay’s Advanced i-Lid™ Cleanser

http://youtu.be/ej1GoZiTZiA

The key innovation behind the i-Lid Cleanser is the stabilized form of pure hypochlorous acid solution (with no bleach impurities, which are often present in Dakin and Dakin-like solutions). In in vitro laboratory studies, hypochlorous acid has shown to be fast-acting against bacteria, biofilm and toxins. Hypochlorous acid made by the body’s white blood cells breaks down quickly, but NovaBay was able to create a proprietary formulation in which hypochlorous acid is both stable and free from impurities.

Stephen Wilmarth, MD, eye surgeon in Sacramento, CA and member of the NovaBay’s Ophthalmic Advisory Board, commented: “NovaBay’s i-Lid Cleanser is my first choice for patient’s eye lid hygiene, uniformly preferred by my patients over other surfactant-based lid cleansers.”

Added Steven J. Lichtenstein, M.D., associate professor of clinical surgery and pediatric ophthalmologist at the University of Illinois College of Medicine: “I have added i-Lid Cleanser to the antibiotic ointment regimen I’ve always used and have seen a definite improvement in many of my patients. Some of the patients’ parents tell me that this has definitely been the best treatment we have tried.”

NovaBay’s i-Lid™ Cleanser is intended for use under the supervision of ophthalmologists, optometrists and other healthcare providers and is available through a prescription.

NovaBay Pharmaceuticals Contacts
Thomas J. Paulson
Chief Financial Officer
510-899-8809
Contact Thomas Paulson

Ana Kapor
Director, Investor Relations and Corporate Communications
NovaBay Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
510-899-8889
Contact Ana Kapor