WHO recommends formulations for hand rub products

The Department of Health (DH) today (November 4) held a meeting with local pharmaceutical manufacturers to introduce two new WHO-recommended formulae for manufacturing hand rub products to further gear up the community’s preparedness on flu pandemic.

The manufacturers were encouraged to produce hand rub products using the new formulae and to make these products widely available for sale throughout the territory.

The two alcohol-based formulae for hand rub products were recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) during the "Global Patient Safety Challenge: Clean Care is Safer Care" to fight the spread of healthcare associated infections launched last month.

At the launching ceremony, the Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food, Dr York Chow, signed a pledge indicating the support and total commitment of the local healthcare providers and practitioners to support hand hygiene.

A DH spokesman pointed out that hand washing, when done correctly, is always a very important hygiene practice to prevent contracting and spreading infectious diseases.

"Under most circumstances, hand rub products can be used to cleanse our hands. But if hands are visibly soiled, they should be washed by soap and water." he said.

The spokesman said that hand rub products in the market with 70% to 75% alcohol are generally effective for hand cleansing. The new formulations, with the recommended compositions, provide a cost-effective means of protection from infection caused by pathogenic bacteria or virus adhering to our hands, if used properly.

During the meeting, representatives from the pharmaceutical industry were also briefed on WHO's Guidelines on Hand Hygiene.

The DH will also send letters to all medical practitioners informing them about the WHO's recommendation regarding formulae for hand rub products as well as the Guidelines on Hand Hygiene.

The two new formulae contain ethanol or isopropyl alcohol respectively, glycerol, hydrogen peroxide and distilled or boiled water.

Production of hand rub products involves a number of procedures and strict control of temperature. Members of the public should not try to produce the products themselves, the spokesman said.


Ends/Friday, November 4, 2005