David Vidra Health Educators

Health Educators (http://www.hlthedu.com) is making a special trip to Southern Ontario to teach a one day course regarding bloodborne pathogens and infection control. This course is offered yearly at the NIX tattoo convention in Toronto and is rarely held in a more intimate studio setting. Seating is EXTREMELY limited so pre-registration is required immediately. Please read the details below and contact Jesse Villemaire if you wish to register and have any further questions @ 519-653-4333

BLOODBORNE PATHOGENS & THE PRINCIPLES OF INFECTION CONTROL FOR MODIFICATION PRACTITIONERS

WHEN: Monday November 2nd 2009

TIME: 10:00am – 6pm (Class may run later) Registration begins at 9:30am

WHERE: Thrive Studios, 1037 King St East, Cambridge, Ontario. 519-653-4333

PARKING: Free daily parking is available at Giant Tiger, 927 King Street East, Cambridge, ON (One block from Thrive Studios)

Bloodborne pathogens & principles of infection control for modification practitioners is by far the most comprehensive industry-specific bloodborne pathogens training course available for traditional tattoo artists, cosmetic tattoo artists & professional body piercers. This course is compliant with the federal Bloodborne Pathogens Standard (29 CFR 1910.1030) & Hazard Communication Standard (29 CFR 1910.1200). It features comprehensive updates on the very latest changes in health & safety regulations as they apply to the modification industry, with training in solid, industry-specific solutions for maintaining compliance within a modification studio environment.

The bloodborne pathogens & principles of infection control for modification practitioners course is being offered at the rate of $150.00 per person. A $50.00 non-refundable deposit is required per person at the time of registration. Full payment & deposits can be paid via money order, certified check, or credit card. Price includes all course materials, copies of industry-specific OSHA interpretations, free product samples & a certificate of training valid for one year. COURSE SPACE IS LIMITED and is already 50% FULL. Pre-registered participants are guaranteed course space & materials; all others are welcome on a first-come-first-serve basis, as availability allows. Lodging and meals are not included.

For additional information, please contact Jesse Villemaire by phone @ 519-653-4333 or email: iamjessev@hotmail.com

PRE-REGISTRATION IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED TO ENSURE AVAILABILITY.

Using Techni-Care ® Antiseptic to clean and prepare the skin prior to performing a body piercing: Techni-Care Piercing Prep Protocols

ST. LOUIS, MO, September 14, 2009/ – - Care-Tech^® Laboratories, Inc. announces that it has suspended manufacturing and distribution of its drug products to address concerns raised by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Specifically, the FDA has informed Care-Tech^® that it believes the company’s over-the-counter (OTC) drug products have not been manufactured, processed, packed, and held consistent with current good manufacturing practice for drugs, which makes them presumptively adulterated under the law, even where, as here, no finished product has been found to be defective. FDA also has informed Care-Tech^® that it believes these products do not conform to an OTC drug monograph, and so are considered unapproved drugs. Accordingly, Care-Tech^® has agreed to suspend manufacturing and distribution of our drug products until we have fully resolved these concerns. Care-Tech^® has already taken significant steps to address the issues FDA has brought to our attention, and we are working closely with agency officials to ensure any remaining issues are resolved as expeditiously as possible.

Neither FDA nor Care-Tech^® is aware of any reports of injury or illness related to the use of these products, and FDA has not requested that previously distributed product be recalled. “The company is committed to ensuring that each of its products reflects the highest standards of safety and purity,” says John C. Brereton, President. “For over 100 years, patient safety has been Care-Tech^® Laboratories’ first and foremost commitment. And I can assure you, it remains so today.”

The company intends to update its customers as further information becomes available.

FDA NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release: Sept. 8, 2009

Media Inquiries: Christopher Kelly, 301-796-4676, christopher.kelly@fda.hhs.gov
Consumer Inquiries: 888-INFO-FDA

Care-Tech Laboratories Agrees to Stop Making, Selling and Distributing Unapproved Antimicrobial Products

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today announced that St. Louis-based Care-Tech Laboratories Inc. and its principal officers, John C. Brereton and Sherry L. Brereton, have signed a consent decree, agreeing to stop the illegal manufacture, marketing, and distribution of over-the-counter (OTC) antimicrobial drugs used to treat and prevent infection.

Inspectors found that Care-Tech violated numerous provisions of the FDA’s current good manufacturing practice (cGMP) regulations that direct how antimicrobial drugs are made. Additionally, the products do not conform to any applicable regulations for OTC drug products and have not undergone an FDA review, and therefore are considered unapproved drug products.

Under the terms of the consent decree, Care-Tech may not resume manufacturing and distribution of the drugs until it corrects these and other violations.

“The FDA is concerned about Care-Tech’s products because they lack FDA approval, do not conform to any applicable over-the-counter drug monograph, and are not appropriately manufactured,” said Deborah Autor, director of the FDA’s Office of Compliance, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. “Companies have an obligation to consumers to ensure that their products are safe, effective, and high quality, and the FDA recommends that Care-Tech’s customers seek alternative products.”

Care-Tech products are sold online and through telephone orders to hospitals, nursing homes and other health care facilities. They are not sold in retail stores. The FDA is not aware of any reports of injury or illness related to the use of these products. Consumers should contact Care-Tech at 1-800-325-9681 to return products in their possession, which include:

Barri-Care
Care-Crème
Caricia Care
CC-500
Clinical Care
Consept
Formula Magic
Humatrix
Loving Lather
Loving Lather II
Loving Lotion
Orchid Fresh II
Satin
Tech 2000
Techni-Care
Urban Skin

Health care professionals and consumers may report serious adverse events (side effects) or quality problems for these or any products to the FDA’s MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program, online, or by regular mail, fax or phone.

• Online: http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch/default.htm
• Regular Mail: use postage-paid FDA form 3500 available at: http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch/HowToReport/DownloadForms/default.htm and mail to MedWatch, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20852-9787
• Fax: 800-FDA-0178
• Phone: 800-FDA-1088

For more information:

Facts About Current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMPs) http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DevelopmentApprovalProcess/Manufacturing/ucm169105.htm

This Ontario best practice document applies to any facility, service or person offering services where there is a risk of exposure to blood, such as, but not limited to: hairdressing and barber shops, tattoo and body piercing studios, electrolysis, acupuncture and various aesthetic services. The following guidelines comprise general recommendations for all personal service settings and equipment. Click Here to read.

TECHNI-CARE® IS ANTIMICROBIAL AND EFFECTIVE AGAINST MRSA. The product can be used to shave the client, as a skin prep and for the application of stencils.

The exact protocol for TECHNI-CARE® use in tattoo procedures is outlined here.

BARRI-CARE® will replace all Vaseline® and/or A&D® products used within the traditional and cosmetic tattoo industries. BARRI-CARE® is a superior product of the highest grade petroleum base , whereas other petroleum-based products’ are of a much lower grade and are meant only to be placed topically on the skin and not placed into the skin, as done in a tattoo procedure.

BARRI-CARE® will not melt down leaving a ring around it due to the high quality of petroleum usedas its base.

BARRI-CARE® IS ANTIMICROBIAL AND EFFECTIVE AGAINST MRSA. The product can be used during the tattoo procedure and for client aftercare following the procedure.

The exact protocol for BARRI-CARE® use in tattoo procedures can be found here.

Although usually harmless, Staphylococcus aureus (staph) may occasionally get into the body and cause infections through breaks in the skin, such as abrasions, cuts, wounds, tattooing, body piercing, or surgical incisions.  These infections may be mild, such as pimples or boils, or serious, such as an infection of the blood stream, bones, or joints.

With the increase in popularity of antiseptic hand gels over the past 6 years, we have seen a significant decrease of compliance with hand washing. However, hand gels were never intended as a replacement for hand washing, but to be used only in cases where hand washing was not feasible.

Per Federal law, hand washing is the primary method for cleansing hands. OSHA standards make it very clear that antiseptic hand gels do not replace the act of washing hands. In plain English, it clearly states that antiseptic hand cleansers can only be used when it is not feasible to provide hand washing facilities with running water. In our industries, running water should always be available for hand washing. Also note, per OSHA standard cited below, after the use of antiseptic hand gel, hands must still be washed with soap and water as soon as feasible. Click Here to read more.