LEWISBERRY, Pa., Nov. 5, 2010 /PRNewswire/ — SAFE IN COMMON, an
online community of healthcare workers, educators, patients,
community leaders and individuals, today announced the launch of
its website dedicated to raising awareness of global injection
safety challenges.
SAFE IN COMMON’s launch coincides with the 10th anniversary of
the passage of the Needlestick Safety and Prevention Act, which
mandates the use of safety engineered medical devices, (SEMDs),
within U.S. healthcare facilities to protect healthcare workers and
patients from the risk of needlestick injuries. Despite this
legislation and its enforcement by OSHA, healthcare workers
continue to remain at risk of harm. For example, reports in
the U.S. indicate that currently available safety syringes are not
providing adequate levels of protection. In fact, reported
needlestick injuries in Massachusetts have not fallen since 2002,
and safety products are responsible for the majority of those
injuries.
While steps have been taken in the U.S. and Europe to mandate
the use of SEMDs, the harm caused by unsafe injection practices
represents a global humanitarian challenge. According to the World
Health Organization (WHO), there are more than 1.3 million
needlestick related deaths worldwide each year.
“As a former nurse, I have first hand experience with the
physical and emotional dangers of a needlestick injury. However,
the problems and risks associated with needlestick injuries are
real and affect the lives of millions of people around the world,
not just those in the healthcare field,” commented Dr. Mary Foley,
Associate Director, Center for Nursing Research and Innovation.
“Much has been accomplished since the signing of the Needlestick
Safety and Prevention Act of 2000, but the safety laws and policies
currently in place are poorly enforced and need to be addressed.
SAFE IN COMMON is in a unique to position to advocate for
this change. Not only will SAFE IN
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