Hello,

This is Stephen M. Kovach from across the water in Michigan, USA.

I am very interested in how the HTM 2030 is going and the testing of WD.

How many people are using the TOSI product and your feedback. I have used it. Are their other products out their that work.

In the States we now have added blood soil type tests in one of our standards. So I am interested in what is going on in England and Europe.

Thank you and take care hope to come back that way again for a meeting or two.

Stephen M. Kovach

Steve

HTM 2030 is in full swing here in the UK. Most hospitals are making great headway in implementing the testing requirements and there is a healthy market for test devices. As many of these devices have been designed after HTM 2030 was written there is no direct reference to them within the document. However, the principle of equivalent performance to an HTM 2030 test device should enable the puirchaser to choose wisely and maintain the level of performance measurement required.

The end result of all this is that the profile of the w/d could not be higher and with protein residual tests being performed weekly we can hopegully argue that any protein (including any TSE contamination) will be removed. The downside is that testing is lengthy, labour-intensive and expensive but the end result justifies the cost. These comments also apply to ultrasonic cleaners and automated endoscope re-processors although in the latter case full HTM 2030 implementation is taking longer.

Peter Hooper, UK