PR84044

Medela Opens New Production Line in the US and More Than Triples Production in Switzerland of Critical Portable Suction Systems Aiding Hospital Ventilator Support and Patients with COVID-19

BAAR, Switzerland, May 19, 2020 /PRNewswire=KYODO JBN/--

- Launch of US Vario 18 AC Production Line as Rapid Response to Local Surge of

  Infection Rates

- Expands Access to Vario 18 as well as Dominant Flex and Basic Suction Pumps

  across the Americas, Europe, Australia, Asia and Saudi Arabia

Medela AG, today announced the launch of a new US production line of its Vario

18 AC Portable Suction Pumps [

https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=2803661-1&h=2760305456&u=https%3A%2F%2Fcovid19.medelahealthcare.com%2Fsolutions&a=Vario+18+AC+Portable+Suction+Pumps

] – up to 10,000 units are to be produced and shipped to the local hospitals

and healthcare facilities by August to meet the acute demand. Simultaneously,

the company has more than tripled its Swiss production of surgical and airway

suction pumps, including Vario 18, Dominant Flex and Basic [

https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=2803661-1&h=670832461&u=https%3A%2F%2Fcovid19.medelahealthcare.com%2Fsolutions&a=Vario+18%2C+Dominant+Flex+and+Basic

], since mid-March to address urgent needs in this pandemic crisis. These

devices provide crucial suction and fluid removal during respiratory treatment

provided by ventilators and the rapid expansion of the production facilities is

intended to help meet the growing and ongoing needs of hospitals and other

healthcare facilities across five continents.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1167986/Medela.jpg  

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/282613/medela_logo.jpg

Traditionally, hospitals ensure a patient's airway is clear by utilising

suction that relies on central wall piped vacuum. According to information

recently published by the National Health Service (NHS)(1), hospitals should

not use piped vacuum to support infectious disease units (IDU) to reduce the

risk of virus spread and cross-contamination. With hospitals and other

treatment facilities experiencing overcrowding, added beds, and new layout

configurations, there is a need for light-weight, portable, and easy to

manoeuvre suction equipment. Additionally, the Medela pumps are equipped with a

disposable virus filter and fluid collection system and may reduce the risk of

infection for caregivers and patients(2).

"Standard of care in the ICU requires each patient to be provided with a single

suction device. It is critical not to share suction between patients to avoid

cross-contamination and to refrain from wall suction wherever possible, due to

concerns about virus transmission. Rather, it requires the provision of

portable, reliable and quiet suction equipment to support each individual

patient," says Dr. Stephan Cole, Consultant in Intensive Care Medicine at

Ninewells Hospital in Dundee, Scotland, and President of the Scottish Intensive

Care Society, adding: "With this new reality ahead of us until we have a

vaccine, we need to be able to rapidly increase our ICU bed capacity within 2

or 3 weeks of notice. This means we must prepare, plan and stock hardware such

as ventilators, suction pumps and monitors to manage for future surges."  

As COVID-19 continues to spread and healthcare systems are planning for

potential future surges, ventilator and suction pump manufacturers scramble to

produce more units. While mechanical ventilators are essential for patients in

an intensive care unit, so is accompanying suction pump equipment for the

removal of lung secretions generated from the inflammatory process of the

coronavirus. Thanks to the mobility, independence from piped vacuum systems and

reduced risk of infection for caregivers and patients, mobile surgical and

airway suction systems is the path to be taken going forward to ensure optimal

care for patients and meet future challenges of global health.

"Pairing ventilators with portable suction technology like the Vario 18 or our

Dominant Flex and Basic devices is crucial to ensuring pulmonary hygiene to

support patient care and recovery. We saw the needs of hospitals across the

globe and began efforts to ramp up production already in March," said Annette

Bruls, chief executive officer of Medela worldwide. "However, the demand

continues to outpace our capacity by far. This is why we decided to build this

additional capacity in the United States so we can better support hospitals and

clinicians to aid in recovery and preparedness for any potential resurgence in

the future."

Medela has been a pioneer in suction technology for nearly 60 years and

manufactures a suite of professional medical vacuum solutions essential for the

treatment of patients who require hospital or intensive medical care. Thanks to

their mobility, the units comply with NHS recommendations for piped vacuum and

are equipped with reusable or disposable collection systems and a virus filter

to prevent cross-contamination in the hospital environment. The solutions are

widely used in Europe, and Medela's dedicated COVID-19 team assessed the

current need to ramp up production worldwide to help address the pandemic.

To learn more about ways Medela is aiding COVID-19 efforts, visit the: COVID-19

information hub [

https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=2803661-1&h=1482304509&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.medela.com%2Fbreastfeeding%2Fmums-journey%2Fcovid-19-information-concerning-breastfeeding&a=COVID-19+information+hub

].

For information about mobile medical vacuum solutions, please visit:

COVID19.MedelaHealthCare.com/solutions [

https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=2803661-1&h=2244429706&u=http%3A%2F%2Fcovid19.medelahealthcare.com%2Fsolutions&a=COVID19.MedelaHealthCare.com%2Fsolutions

].

About Medela

Medela, headquartered in Baar (Switzerland) was founded in 1961 and is one of

the world's leading companies in the development and production of breast milk

feeding products and medical vacuum technology solutions. In cooperation with

renowned researchers, experts and universities, Medela conducts basic and

exploratory research to enhance its product portfolio improve future patient

care and the quality of life of our customers. Medela has 21 subsidiaries

across Europe, the Americas, the Middle East, Asia, and a sales network of

independent partners in more than 100 countries. The company runs production

and warehouse facilities in Switzerland, the US and China and employs over

1,800 people worldwide. www.medela.com - www.medelahealthcare.com

(1)

https://www.england.nhs.uk/coronavirus/wp-content/uploads/sites/52/2020/03/C0131-Design-note_COVID-19-ward-for-intubated-patients_1-April-MR2.pdf

(2)

https://www.medelahealthcare.com/insights/how-to-avoid-virus-cross-contamination-of-medical-vacuum-suction-pumps-with-virus-and-bacteria-filters

Media Contact:

Angela Heer

+41-41-562-15-08

MedelaTeam@ogilvy.com

SOURCE: Medela LLC