CENTER VALLEY, Pa., (June 19, 2020) – Olympus announced today that, due to a global shortage in the supply of alcohol, it will offer ALPET® 70/30 isopropanol alcohol rinse to address endoscope reprocessing needs. Olympus customers have reported difficulty sourcing the isopropyl alcohol needed to complete the reprocessing of flexible endoscopes. Working with Best Sanitizers, which supplies cleaning chemistries for the Olympus endoscope reprocessor, OER-Pro, and other automated endoscope reprocessing products (AERs), Olympus will supply ALPET 70/30 isopropanol alcohol rinse to its customers during COVID-19.
“Isopropanol is used as an alcohol flush of endoscopes after the final water rinse during reprocessing. It serves as a decontaminant and to begin the drying process,” said Melinda “Mindy” Benedict, Global Senior Manager, Infection Prevention, Olympus Corporation of the Americas. “In part because of its increased use in hand sanitizers during COVID-19, alcohol has been on back-order in many facilities. Wherever 70% alcohol is needed, isopropanol can be used and we hope customers will be helped by the ALPET offer.”
Due to the constantly changing circumstances created by the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare networks face a shortage of medical supplies, medical professionals and manufacturing and service personnel able to maintain medical devices. In this context, Olympus is pursuing efforts to support healthcare institutions, including:
- Olympus is working with healthcare organizations to preserve personal protective equipment (PPE) for only the most essential healthcare worker, via use of its cloud-based, clinical collaboration platform MedPresence®.
- As the current COVID-19 crisis restricts in-person educational programs, Olympus University is offering a variety of Instructor-Led Continuing Education Presentations online. Course topics include infection control and clinical topics across various specialties. In addition, online modules for continuing education credit are available for anytime learning.
- Olympus’ Life Science Group is enabling access to demo microscopes to allow pathologists the ability to review cases remotely.
- Olympus Surgical Technologies America Redmond, CA and Brooklyn Park, MN are making use of 3D printers to create face shields that will be donated to healthcare institutions.
The ALPET offering is currently available through Olympus. Interested parties should contact their Olympus sales representative, or Olympus customer service at 1-800-848-9024.
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About Olympus Medical Systems Group
Olympus is a global technology leader, crafting innovative optical and digital solutions in medical technologies; life sciences; industrial solutions; and cameras and audio products. Throughout our 100-year history, Olympus has focused on being true to society and making people’s lives healthier, safer and more fulfilling.
Our Medical Business works with health care professionals to combine our innovative capabilities in medical technology, therapeutic intervention, and precision manufacturing with their skills to deliver diagnostic, therapeutic and minimally invasive procedures to improve clinical outcomes, reduce overall costs and enhance quality of life for patients. For more information, visit medical.olympusamerica.com and truetolife.com.