Knowledge of the market is a key part of growing your infection prevention business.
By Paul Girouard
Environmental hygiene is a significant component to an infection prevention program. The simple process of cleaning and disinfecting has become more complex post-pandemic. Staying up to date will help you be of value to your customers and build your infection prevention business.
In the beginning there were cleaners and disinfectants. There is a big difference between the two and there aren’t many shortcuts. In short, cleaners’ clean particulate matter on surfaces, and disinfectants kill pathogens on the surface. You need both for a complete program. Most of what will be addressed here will be on disinfectants due to their complexity. The complexity comes from what is needed to do the job. Many variables come into play:
- Format – liquid, spray, wipe, other.
- Environment – Where is the product being used and are there specific pathogens of concern.
- Convenience – Who is using product, how often, and how quickly do they need to clean/disinfect.
The market began with disinfectant liquids and sprays and evolved into disinfectant surface wipes. In the pre-pandemic period, annual growth in the healthcare market was low single digits for liquids and sprays, but in the low double digits for wipes. Disinfectants are regulated and must be registered with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The EPA registration numbers are found on all disinfectant product labels. Label information can be verified by using the registration number and searching on EPA.gov.
Depending on the needs mentioned, there are many different types of disinfectant surface wipes to choose from. Preference is based on kill-times needed to disinfect, number and type of pathogens killed, and formulation. Typical formulations are quaternary ammonium, alcohol, bleach, hydrogen peroxide or a combination of these. Kill-times vary by pathogen. The overall time needed to disinfect is based on the longest kill-time listed on the label.
In the last few years technology has improved greatly. Product has been improved with additional kill-claims, reduction of kill-times, and the growth of more user-friendly formulations like hydrogen peroxide. The pandemic introduced and helped drive the growth of newer technologies like ultraviolet lighting, and electrically charged disinfectant sprayers.
Manufacturers and the EPA are planning for future outbreaks and pandemics by testing for “emerging viral pathogens.” The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases defines these as those “that have newly appeared in a population or have existed but are rapidly increasing in incidence or geographic range.” Manufacturers apply for an emerging viral pathogen claim, even before an outbreak occurs, based on previous EPA-approved claims for harder-to-kill viruses.
Next steps
During the pandemic, disinfecting surface wipes were in short supply and the market moved to whatever was available. This created supply chain disruption and bad behavior in the market. This is an important reason to review what customers might be using. Product has evolved significantly and there is opportunity to provide better disinfecting options.
You can help by reviewing what the account is using.
- Have kill-times improved compared to what they are using?
- Is there an option to use a product with additional or emerging viral pathogen claims?
- Are their more user-friendly options?
If it’s a little overwhelming, use your manufacturer partners to provide additional guidance. Now is the time and opportunity to grow your infection prevention business.