Vioguard self-sanitizing computer keyboard receives FDA clearance

Vioguard™LLC (www.vioguard.com) today announced the U.S. Food & Drug Administration has cleared the company's first product, the Vioguard self-sanitizing computer keyboard, for use in healthcare settings. The product is the first FDA-cleared computer keyboard to use the germicidal properties of ultraviolet light (UV-C) to automatically clean its surfaces. UV-C is a proven killer of flu, MRSA, and other harmful viruses and germs.

Vioguard's keyboard was developed specifically to address the need for continual disinfection efforts in the medical workplace. The Vioguard keyboard is the first computer peripheral that directly deals with the issue of cross-contamination among shared workstations, by automatically destroying deadly microorganisms such as MRSA.

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) impact over 1.7 million patients in the U.S. each year. Similar infections are also on the rise in community settings: a CDC prospective study in 2003 suggested that 12% of clinical MRSA infections are community-associated.

"We're very pleased with the FDA clearance, which substantiates our medical claims and allows hospitals and clinics to make use of this new tool," said Larry Ranta, president and CEO of Vioguard. "Conventional computer keyboards have been identified as a key point of transmission of viruses and bacteria, especially within the medical setting. The Vioguard keyboard takes the guesswork out of sanitization efforts, reduces labor costs, and helps fight the spread of harmful and often deadly superbugs."

Source: Vioguard