How to Know If an N95 Respirator is Real or Counterfeit

Kevin Coghlan | March 26, 2020

As the supply of N95 respirators for healthcare workers continues to dwindle, a number of counterfeit or uncertified respirators are beginning to surface in the marketplace. If a hospital is struggling to maintain its supply of N95 respirators, there are other options that can be used in place of the standard N95 respirator. The Centers...

Reusable Elastomeric Respirators: Proper Use by Healthcare Workers

Nanette Moss and Kevin Coghlan | March 26, 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a surge of patients to urgent care, emergency room and drive- up testing locations. Healthcare workers depend upon N95 disposable respirators to protect them from exposure to the respiratory droplets that transmit the disease. The supply of N95 respirators is being rapidly depleted as the crisis prolongs. Fabric facemasks...

Are People Infected with the Novel Coronavirus Contagious Before They Have Symptoms?

David MacIntosh | March 24, 2020

According to current information on the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) and the disease it causes, known as COVID-19, people infected with the virus are contagious before they have symptoms. Research that Tells Us Asymptomatic Persons Are Contagious A research letter published in the Journal of the American Medical Association on February 21, 2020 is perhaps...

Why Measures to Prevent Community Spread of Coronavirus are Critical

David MacIntosh | March 24, 2020

Current directives to combat COVID-19 in the United States are based on limiting community spread of the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2). The tactics include social distancing, frequent hand washing and related actions. But why is it that doctors, scientists, and other specialists have counseled government authorities to recommend these methods in particular? Coronavirus (COVID-19): Why is...

Coronavirus (COVID-19): Why is this pandemic happening now?

Jack McCarthy | March 23, 2020

The ongoing novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) outbreak was first identified in Wuhan, Hubei, China, in December 2019, and was recognized as a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) on March 11, 2020. The disease it causes has been named “coronavirus disease 2019” (abbreviated “COVID-19”). Since this virus is new there is no worldwide immunity. This...

Beyond the Pharmacy: Preparing for Hospital-wide Compliance with USP 800

Erin Higgins | March 16, 2020

Over the past year, there’s been a lot of discussion about how hospital pharmacies can prepare for USP 800. While hazardous drug safety is not a new concern, the new regulations set forth in USP 800 will require most hospitals to make significant changes in order to achieve and maintain compliance. However, even though the...

Successful Strategies for Creating a Culture of Laboratory Safety

Steven Lee | March 2, 2020

It’s been over 10 years since the tragic death of a staff research assistant in the chemistry department at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Devastating and high-profile laboratory accidents such as this have elevated safety concerns for academic and biotech research facilities in recent years, driving many to seek ways make safety an...

Hospital-acquired Fungal Infections: What You Need to Know to Protect Your Patients

Bryan Connors | February 26, 2020

Over the past year, several reported instances of patient infections related to mold have escalated concerns within the healthcare community. Understanding how these infections can occur, and what your hospital can do to prevent them, is essential for patient safety and hospital reputation. What are hospital-acquired fungal infections? True to their name, hospital-acquired fungal...

EHS Essentials for Biotech Start-Ups

Steven Lee | February 11, 2020

There are a lot of decisions that go into launching a biotech start-up, but one of the most important for the long-term success of your new company is the decision to establish a culture of safety. This is best done through the clear and intentional development of an environmental health and safety (EHS) program. Not...

Lab Energy Optimization: How to Do it Safely

Matt Fragala | January 24, 2020

College campuses across the country are instituting green initiatives and signing aggressive carbon reduction goals to become better stewards of the environment. While this aim is admirable and necessary, many colleges and universities set these goals without fully developing a plan for how to achieve them. Once they discover their plan isn’t as easy to...