New Products and Industry News

Educational program trains, empowers, and develops core competencies

  Coloplast (Marietta, Ga) has launched an award-winning, accredited modular educational program, “Skin: the Vital Organ.” This program is designed to develop specific skin health competencies essential for all levels of caregivers to provide a framework for employing best practices in preventive skin care.

   The program was a 2006 APEX (Award for Publication Excellence) award recipient in the category of Education, Training, and Electronic Publications. The company’s education program is recognized for excellence in key areas including editorial content, graphic design, and the ability to achieve overall communications excellence. The modular education program was developed by the Coloplast Education Committee in conjunction with the University of Miami’s Department of Dermatology and industry experts who are well known in the field of skin and wound care.

   The program features four modules: Module I: Xerosis; Module II: Incontinence; and Module III: Bariatric Skin Care. Module IV: Skin and Wound Pain will be released later this year.

   For more information, visit https://www.us.coloplast.com.

Bowel management system product line sold

   Zassi Medical Evolutions Inc. (Fernandina Beach, Fla) sold its award winning Zassi Bowel Management System product line to Hollister Incorporated (Libertyville, Ill). Hollister is a global healthcare company engaged in more than 90 countries on six continents.

   The bowel management system was launched in the US in 2003 and was the first product of its kind in the medical device marketplace. The catheter-based system is designed to effectively and reliably divert, collect, and contain potentially harmful and contaminated fecal waste from bedridden or immobilized patients in all healthcare settings. The system helps protect patients and caregivers from fecal contamination by providing a level of sanitation and skin and wound protection never before possible. Since 2005, the product line also has been introduced in several key international markets, including the European Union.

   For more information, visit https://www.zassimedical.com or https://www.hollister.com.

Foley catheter with advanced silver technology now available

   Medline (Mundelein, Ill), introduces Silvertouch™, a new silver-coated Foley catheter with silver-ion releasing technology from Covalon that will help improve patient care and comfort.

   The silver ion-releasing technology makes this catheter more comfortable for patients because the coating keeps the catheter lubricated. The catheters maintain the lubricious coating for 7 days or more due to covalent bonding that helps decrease friction of the catheter surface against the urethral tissue.

   For more information, visit https://www.medline.com.

Nanocrystalline silver coating recognized for achievement

   Nucryst Pharmaceuticals Corp. (Wakefield, Mass) announces that Acticoat™ Burn Dressing (Smith & Nephew, Largo, Fla) with Nucryst’s Silcryst™ nanocrystalline silver coating has been recognized by Nanotech Briefs for innovation in medical nanotechnology. Nanotech Briefs is the monthly digital publication from the publishers of NASA Tech Briefs.

   The dressing was named in the “Nano 50” product category. This distinction recognizes the top 50 technologies, products, and innovators that have significantly impacted or are expected to impact nanotechnology. A panel of nanotechnology experts judged the nominees. The technologies, products, and innovators that received the 50 highest scores were named Nano 50 award winners.

   Advanced wound care products with this nanocrystalline coating are sold in more than 30 countries around the world. These dressings are used for a wide variety of wound types by hospitals, clinics, burn centers, doctors’ offices, home healthcare agencies, and nursing homes.

   For more information, call (212) 777-2220 or email carrie@southardinc.com.

Economic outcome analysis data for oral linezolid published

   The use of ZYVOX (oral/IV linezolid, Pfizer, New York, NY) is associated with cost savings, reduced hospital stay length, and reduced IV therapy duration according to data published in the June 2006 issue of Annals of Pharmacotherapy.
The study is an economic outcome analysis based on the results of a 2005 study published in the journal Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy that evaluated the efficacy of linezolid versus vancomycin in the treatment of complicated skin and soft tissue infections (cSSTIs), including those caused by MRSA.

   Significant findings include:
  • Overall, cost was lower by $873 in the linezolid-treated ITT population and by $1,125 in the linezolid-treated MRSA population versus those treated with vancomycin
  • IV therapy duration was significantly less in linezolid-treated patients compared with those receiving vancomycin — on average, 7 to 11 days less in both the ITT and MRSA study populations
  • Linezolid treatment resulted in a reduction of 2 to 3 days in hospital stay length compared to vancomycin treatment.

   For more information, visit https://www.zyvox.com.

Wound care product training videos now offered

   DM Systems (Evanston, Ill) offers new training and application videos on three wound care products: the Heelift® Suspension Boot, the Heelift® Traction Boot, and the Elbowlift® Suspension Pad. The new programs are now available on either CD or DVD.

   The videos offer guidance on the products ease of application and include thorough demonstrations led by Dr. Denis B. Drennan, President of DM Systems, for each product. The new slimmer design and easy-to-use closure features of the suspension boot and the traction boot also are emphasized.

   In addition to the videos, the CD-ROM also includes PDF files of a case study, wound care literature, and a survey regarding the product’s usage and success.

   The improved features of the suspension boot and traction boot create more comfort for the patient and offer more functionality for the healthcare provider. Proven to be effective in prevention and treatment of heel ulcers, these suspension boots maximize patient comfort while providing a pressure-free environment.

   For a complimentary copy of the CD or DVD, visit https://www.dmsystems.com/videos.html.

Wound care academy changes certification eligibility rule

   The American Academy of Wound Management (AAWM, Washington, DC), a national interdisciplinary certifying board for wound care professionals, announces that candidate admission for the Board Certification process will change as of October 14, 2006. Currently, anyone without a bachelor degree but with 5 years of documented clinical or research experience in the wound care field is eligible to take the AAWM National Board Examination for Certification in Wound Management. As of January 1, 2007, a Bachelor’s degree or higher will be necessary to qualify to sit for the certification exam.

   The AAWM is a voluntary, non-profit organization established to offer credentialing for interdisciplinary practitioners in the wound management field. The organization was founded by individuals with years of experience in wound care who are dedicated to helping patients who suffer from acute and chronic wounds of varying etiologies. The board of directors is comprised of a panel of wound care experts, including practitioners, academicians, and researchers. The AAWM is a full voting member of the National Organization for Competency Assurance (NOCA).

   For more information, visit https://www.aawm.org.

Biopharmaceutical company receives product development grant from FDA

   RegeneRx Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. (Bethesda, Md) received a $545,000 grant from the US Food and Drug Administration's (FDA’s) Office of Orphan Products Development (OOPD) for the development of its drug candidate based on Thymosin beta 4 (TB4). The 2-year grant will be utilized for the company’s Phase II Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB) clinical trial, which is currently enrolling patients.

   The FDA support provides additional resources to help develop TB4 for patients with EB. Currently, no drug is approved to improve wound healing in patients with EB.

   For more information, visit https://www.regenerx.com.

Annual multidisciplinary cardiovascular conference to take place in New Orleans

   The seventh annual New Cardiovascular Horizons (NCVH) conference will take place November 1–4, 2006 in New Orleans. The meeting is the fourth largest cardiovascular conference in the nation.

   This conference is the first and largest truly multidisciplinary conference to bring together fellows and residents, pharmacologists, imaging professionals, surgeons, cardiologists, interventional radiologists, podiatrists, nurses, technologists, physician assistants, endocrinologists, family practice physicians, internal medicine specialists, pharmacists, EMTs, diabetologists, and vascular medicine specialists.

   Each year, the conference attracts more than 3,500 attendees, 125-plus exhibitors, and more than 200 faculty, including individuals who are considered legends in the field of medicine, such as Dr. Julio Palmaz, the inventor of the coronary stent that bears his name, and Dr. Edward Diethrich, inventor of the sternal saw used in open chest surgery.

   Once again, NCVH will feature live satellite broadcast of interventional cases. A panel of renowned physicians will narrate and discuss the cases during educational sessions displayed on wide, easy-to-view screens. This dynamic teaching approach will allow meeting attendees to experience decision-making and procedures in real time.

   NCVH now encompasses podiatry and wound care, and includes sessions for cath lab technicians, RNs, and a wide range of cardiovascular health care providers.

   Continuing medical education (CME) and continuing education units (CEU) will be offered to participants.

   For more information, visit https://www.newcvhorizons.com.