Private & Confidential Information Justin Soltani Product Officer, Micro-Medics Needlestick Injuries How to be Safe and Cost Effective

Private & Confidential Information Background Information What is a Needlestick injury? Needlestick injuries are wounds caused by needles that accidentally puncture the skin. Needlestick injuries are a hazard for people who work with hypodermic syringes and other needle equipment. These injuries can occur at any time when people use, disassemble, or dispose of needles. When not disposed of properly, needles can become concealed in linen or garbage and injure other workers who encounter them unexpectedly. Needlestick injuries transmit infectious diseases, especially blood-borne viruses. In recent years, concern about AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome), hepatitis B, and hepatitis C has prompted research to find out why these injuries occur and to develop measures to prevent them. Despite published guidelines and training programs, needlestick injuries remain an ongoing problem.

Private & Confidential Information Statistics Did you know……. UK: 100,000 injuries are reported each year within the NHS. USA: CDC estimated that more than 385,000 percutaneous injuries occur among healthcare workers from needles and other sharps used in the healthcare setting. Published studies regarding needlestick safety and prevention have noted that the actual number could be as much as 70 percent higher.

Private & Confidential Information All workers in the health care system are at risk. Nurses Doctors Midwives Phlebotomists Cleaning Staff Portering Staff Domestic Staff Ambulance Staff Community Nurses and Therapists

Private & Confidential Information The Dangers of Needlestick Injuries The real danger is the infections that may be transmitted, including blood-borne viruses such as:  HIV  hepatitis C  hepatitis B  Tuberculosis  20 other serious blood-borne viruses Prospective data collection on all incidents reported in a nine-month period during 1992/3 to 15 occupational health departments in the Wessex and Oxford regions of the NHS. There were 1,102 incidents, 115 in doctors, 697 in nurses and 106 in ancillary workers. Rates per 1,000 members of staff per year ranged from 9 to 44 incidents

Private & Confidential Information 2001 Study by the Department of Health Found the risk of transmission following a needle stick injury to be: One in Three for Hepatitis B One in 30 for Hepatitis C One in 300 for HIV Astonishing to learn that needle stick injury is second only to violence and aggression as a cause of occupational injury in the NHS, but it is not only NHS staff who are affected.

Private & Confidential Information Facts Between July 1997 and June 2002, the Public Health Laboratory Service received reportsof more than 1,500 exposures to blood-borne viruses, of which 734 cases—140 a year—were caused by hollow bore needles, which are the riskiest. Nurses and doctors account for an astonishing 77 per cent. of those reports.

Private & Confidential Information Facts Needle stick injuries will occur each year UNREPORTED INCIDENCE ESTIMATED AT 60-80%

Private & Confidential Information Implications when such an injury occurs Time Off Work Blood Tests Occupational Health Time Vaccination Treatment Counseling Administration time on the part of Managerial Staff Injury Compensation

Private & Confidential Information What does it COST? Cost to the NHS of a low-risk accident is £310 Cost of a high-risk accident could be as high as £35,000 Taken as a whole throughout the NHS, the cost of needle stick injuries is £300 million £ ???

Private & Confidential Information Cost to Introduce Safer Needles into the NHS £49 million

Private & Confidential Information Our Vision To introduce a new product into the market place that reduces one of the most concerning issues at hand in the health care system TODAY.  Decrease the incidence of Needle Stick injuries  Decrease the rate of spread of infection as a result of these type of injuries  Decrease the cost for necessary screening and treatment  Decrease overall expenditure  Increase workplace safety and productivity  Increase staff confidence

Private & Confidential Information Our Solution

Private & Confidential Information A Revolutionary Approach SNAP - a “better mousetrap” Engineered safety syringe Excellent patent protection Demonstrable superiority Improved environmental impact Standardization opportunity InviroSTRIPE – write-on stripe Disruptive technology Potential to revolutionize category Addresses JCAHO recommendations Improves safety and productivity InviroLINK Plastic cannula Safer alternative Excellent pipeline InviroTIP Blood Draw

Private & Confidential Information Competition/Segmentation  Retro-fitted devices: All competing with “me-to” technology, i.e. add on pieces to standard syringes  Major players are BD, Tyco, Smiths Medical  Automatics: Expensive, lack versatility, circa 5% share  Manually Retractable – PPS technology; a new alternative

Private & Confidential Information Questions