Healthcare Acquired Infections
The Centers For Disease Control (CDC) estimates that 1.7 million hospital acquired infections (HAI) occur in the US each year which cause or result in almost 100,000 deaths. Other reports estimate that 10%, or 2 million, patients per year become infected, with annual healthcare costs ranging from $4.5 billion to $11 billion. Despite sanitation protocols and the implementation of comprehensive aseptic technique by healthcare professionals, which include hand washing, gloving, aprons, surface sanitation, isolation and rigorous quality controls, patients are not entirely isolated from pathogens. Once a patient develops an infection, even the best treatments currently available are becoming less effective. Antibiotic use has also now become a public health issue as bacterial drug resistance has been confirmed across all classes of pathogens.
Recent changes in US Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) reimbursement policy are shifting the costs, incurred by hospitals and other care centers due to certain HAI, from the 3rd party payor back to the healthcare provider. As of October 2008, under the Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS), CMS no longer provides reimbursement to hospitals for the $ billions in costs incurred due to catheter-related HAI care. Now more than ever, a strong emphasis and effort is being put behind infection control and prevention by the healthcare community, and this is where Zurex Pharma will deliver valuable solutions and meet significant unmet needs for healthcare professionals and patients.
Zurex Pharma plans to complete the development and commercialization of at least three novel, proprietary products designed to prevent or minimize HAI and targeted for three distinct critical care areas:
- Prevention of surgical site infections (SSI)
- Prevention of intra-luminal catheter-related bloodstream infections (CRBSI) in central line catheters
- Prevention of extra-luminal or catheter “exit site” wound CRBSI
New Ag Products
ZuraLac™ is specifically formulated to sanitize and protect teats from mastitis causing organisms, and protect teat skin tissue from harsh environmental conditions.
Contact
Zurex Pharma's corporate office is located in the Middleton Industrial Park. Specific comments or questions may be submitted online through our contact page.
