Thermo Fisher Scientific supports sepsis awareness month in September

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., a world leader in serving science, has announced its support of Sepsis Awareness Month to drive awareness around sepsis, a complex clinical syndrome and a leading cause of death globally.

Throughout the month of September, supporters are encouraged to join together to raise sepsis awareness through posting on social media, handing out brochures or stickers, giving talks, wearing Sepsis Awareness Ribbons, or holding awareness events.

Over the past six years, Thermo Fisher has worked with Sepsis Alliance, the Global Sepsis Alliance, and other advocates to raise awareness of the signs and symptoms of sepsis. Sepsis is the body's overwhelming inflammatory response to a bloodstream infection. The condition can escalate rapidly and, if inappropriately treated, can lead to long term complications and often death. Time is of the essence in identifying the infections and treating them appropriately. More than 1.7 million people in the U.S. are diagnosed with sepsis each year.

Thermo Fisher is committed to providing exceptional laboratory tools to assess the risk of bacterial infection relating to sepsis with the B·R·A·H·M·S PCT (Procalcitonin) biomarker assay.

The results of the assay are intended to aid in:

• assessing the risk of critically ill patients on their first day of intensive care unit (ICU) admission for progression to severe sepsis and septic shock;
• determining the change in PCT level over time as an aid in assessing the cumulative 28-day risk of all-cause mortality for patients diagnosed with severe sepsis or septic shock in the ICU or when obtained in the emergency department or other medical wards prior to ICU admission;
• making decisions on antibiotic therapy, for inpatients or patients in the emergency department with suspected or confirmed lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI) – defined as community acquired pneumonia (CAP), acute bronchitis, and acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD); and/or
• making decisions on antibiotic discontinuation for patients with suspected or confirmed sepsis.

"Thermo Fisher remains dedicated to providing solutions to improve patient outcomes and aiding in antibiotic stewardship," said Lonnie Shoff, president, clinical diagnostics, Thermo Fisher Scientific. "We are committed to spreading awareness of sepsis with the goal of improving care, increasing prevention, and helping reduce the inappropriate overuse of antibiotics that can lead to resistance. We look forward to continuing our partnerships with the Sepsis Alliance, the Rory Staunton Foundation, physicians and advocates globally that drive awareness of sepsis and help spread recognition about risk factors associated with the disease."

Throughout the month, Thermo Fisher will promote sepsis awareness through their Twitter (@fishersci, @thermofisher), Facebook (@fisherscientific, (@thermofisher) and LinkedIn (@thermo-fisher-scientific, @fisher-healthcare) accounts, participate in community conversations (#SAM2019, #antibioticstewardship, #sepsisawareness and #sepsis), and will host or support several educational events:

• Thursday, September 12: In partnership with Today's Hospitalist, they will host the webinar, "Use of Procalcitonin (PCT) in Patients Presenting with Overlapping Symptoms," featuring Sean-Xavier Neath, MD, PhD, assistant clinical professor, emergency medicine department at the University of California San Diego, Gregory B. Seymann, MD, SFHM, clinical professor and vice chief for academic affairs in the division of hospital medicine at the University of California San Diego, and Michael R. Broyles, BSPharm, PharmD, director of pharmacy and laboratory services, Five Rivers Medical Center, Pocahontas, Arkansas. This webinar reviews the utility of PCT in the emergency department or inpatient hospital settings and describes perspectives of three different clinicians and their approach to implementing this biomarker in clinical practice.
• Thursday, September 12: They will sponsor and participate in the Sepsis Alliance's Eighth Annual Sepsis Heroes Gala in New York City. This annual event is held to honor people and organizations that have made a significant contribution to sepsis awareness and education among the general public and healthcare professionals.
• Thursday, September 19: In partnership with Pharmacy Purchasing & Products, they are hosting a webinar, "Why Do We Persist in Using Outdated Infection Biomarkers? Procalcitonin Guided Antibiotic Stewardship: The New Paradigm," presented by Michael R. Broyles, BSPharm, PharmD, director of pharmacy and laboratory services, Five Rivers Medical Center, Pocahontas, Arkansas. During this webinar listeners will learn the kinetics of PCT during infection, current biomarkers used in the management of bacterial infection, and how PCT can aid in antibiotic stewardship.
• Tuesday, September 24: They are sponsoring a webinar hosted by the Sepsis Alliance, "The Blind Spot of Antibiotic Stewardship: Antibiotic Overuse at Discharge." Presented by Valerie Vaughn, MD, MSc, assistant professor of medicine at the University of Michigan Medical School and Ann Arbor Veteran's Association Hospitals, attendees will learn about how appropriate antibiotic use is critical to improve patient outcomes and can reduce adverse harm and antibiotic resistance.

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