Thermo Fisher Scientific Joins Sepsis Alliance In Support Of Sepsis Awareness Month

Sepsis Awareness Month Aims to Provide Education Around Deadly Condition Claiming Millions of Lives Annually

WALTHAM, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., the world leader in serving science, announces its support of the Sepsis Alliances’ Sepsis Awareness Month to drive awareness around sepsis, a complex clinical syndrome and a leading cause of death in ICUs globally.ⁱ

“Comparing Biomarkers Used in Infection, Sepsis and Septic Shock: What is the Role of Procalcitonin?”

For the 30 days of September, Thermo Fisher Scientific has joined the Sepsis Alliance and advocates to spread the word about sepsis and the risk factors associated with the condition. Eighteen million cases of sepsis per year are diagnosed globally and the incidence continues to rise by eight to 10 percent annually.ⁱⁱ Supporters are encouraged to join together to raise awareness of what sepsis is through social media, handing out brochures and stickers, giving talks, wearing Sepsis Awareness Ribbons, or holding awareness events.

Thermo Fisher is fully committed to providing the best laboratory tools possible 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 the risk assessment of critically ill patients on their first day of ICU admission for progression to severe sepsis and septic shock. PCT measurements can be obtained in emergency departments and other medical wards prior to admission to the intensive care unit. The B·R·A·H·M·S PCT test takes just 20 minutes, providing rapid results to determine risk in septic patients and support appropriate clinical decision making.

“Sepsis is a devastating disease affecting about 35 percent of ICU patients, with approximately 25 percent of these patients dyingⁱⁱⁱ. The incidence of sepsis is increasing each year so early risk assessment is paramount,” said Eric Gluck, MD, director of Critical Care Services, Swedish Covenent Hospital. “This Sepsis Awareness Month, Thermo Fisher continues to work with physicians in the fight against sepsis and tackle a global epidemic that is manageable and preventable if the risk is assessed quickly.”

Throughout the month, Thermo Fisher continues to participate in awareness events, including:

• Fisher Healthcare, a Thermo Fisher brand, hosted a webinar on “Comparing Biomarkers Used in Infection, Sepsis and Septic Shock: What is the Role of Procalcitonin?” featuring Mike Broyles, BSPharm, PharmD, Director of Pharmacy and Laboratory Services, Five Rivers Medical Center, Arkansas. This Professional Association for Customer Engagement (PACE)-accredited webinar presented attendees with more information around which marker or group of markers can provide clinicians with effective clinical information both upon presentation and during the course of treatment of septic patients. Attendees were able to assess if their current biomarker choices provide their clinicians with optimal clinical effectiveness.
• Thermo Fisher attended the Sepsis Alliance’s Fifth Annual Sepsis Heroes Gala. This annual event is held during Sepsis Awareness Month to honor people and organizations that have made a significant contribution to sepsis awareness and education among the general public and healthcare professionals.
• Thermo Fisher was a sponsor of the First World Sepsis Congress, an online conference discussing sepsis as a prelude and introduction to this year’s World Sepsis Day (September 13). In 13 distinctive sessions, 75 speakers from over 20 countries gave 10-minute keynotes and presentations on sepsis. After each talk, the speakers answered live questions from the audience.
• Thermo Fisher was also a sponsor of the Rory Staunton Foundation’s 2016 National Forum on Sepsis. This year’s event showcased the advances made in Sepsis research and ideas by New York-based healthcare professionals, educators, policymakers and patient advocates in sepsis prevention.

“Thermo Fisher remains dedicated to providing solutions to improve patient outcomes and reduce hospital costs,” said Marc R. Tremblay, president, Clinical Diagnostics Division at Thermo Fisher Scientific. “We are committed to spreading awareness of sepsis with the goal of improving care and prevention. We look forward to continuing our partnerships with the Sepsis Alliance, the Rory Staunton Foundation and physicians and advocates globally to drive awareness of sepsis and help spread the word on risk factors associated with the disease.”

About Sepsis

Sepsis is a systemic inflammatory response to infection with some degree of organ dysfunction that can progress to organ failure and death.^iv Each year, more than 266,000 deaths in the U.S. are attributed to sepsis (2009).^v It is the sixth most common principal diagnosis in the U.S., accounting for more than 1.6 million hospital stays.^vi It is the most costly inpatient diagnosis, with aggregate annual hospital costs totaling over $23 billion (2013).^vii Early identification and intervention are crucial to improving sepsis outcomes,^viii making rapid, more reliable detection a national, if not global, imperative.

About Procalcitonin (PCT)

In healthy people, PCT is produced in thyroid cells as a precursor for the hormone calcitonin and is nearly undetectable in human blood. However, bacterial infections cause PCT to be produced by almost every organ of the body, resulting in a rapid rise of PCT levels in the blood. Viral infections very rarely, and not to the same level, cause this increase in PCT blood levels. The level of PCT in the blood is a reflection of the severity of bacterial infection, ranging from slightly elevated concentrations in infections with minor systemic inflammatory response to very high values in cases of severe sepsis and septic shock. Once an infection is under control, Procalcitonin levels decrease rapidly. PCT is intended for use in conjunction with other laboratory findings and clinical assessments to aid in the risk assessment of critically ill patients on their first day of Intensive Care Unit (ICU) admission for progression to severe sepsis and septic shock.

About Thermo Fisher Scientific

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. is the world leader in serving science, with revenues of $17 billion and more than 50,000 employees in 50 countries. Our mission is to enable our customers to make the world healthier, cleaner and safer. We help our customers accelerate life sciences research, solve complex analytical challenges, improve patient diagnostics and increase laboratory productivity. Through our premier brands – Thermo Scientific, Applied Biosystems, Invitrogen, Fisher Scientific and Unity Lab Services – we offer an unmatched combination of innovative technologies, purchasing convenience and comprehensive support. For more information, please visit www.thermofisher.com.

ⁱ Infectious Diseases Point of Care Diagnostics Market to 2018 – Espicom, 2015 pg. 108
ⁱⁱ Id.
ⁱⁱⁱ Infectious Diseases Point of Care Diagnostics Market to 2018 – Espicom, 2015 pg. 110
^iv Kumar A et al: Duration of hypotension before initiation of effective antimicrobial therapy is the critical determinant of survival in human septic shock. Crit Care Med 2006;34(6):1589-1596.
^v Vincent JL et al: Sepsis definitions: time for change. Lancet 2013;381:774-775.
^vi Elixhauser A et al: Septicemia in U.S. Hospitals 2009, Statistical Brief #122. Rockville, MD: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality; 2011.
^vii Id.
^viii May 2013 National Inpatient Hospital Costs_ The Most Expensive Conditions by Payer, 2013 #204