Policy Updates
Check insights and updates from APIC!
The FDA released its updated guidance for the use of fecal microbiota for transplantation (FMT) to treat Clostridioides difficile (C. difficile) infection not responding to standard therapies. The updated guidance clarifies that, due to safety concerns, FDA oversight protections do not include FMT obtained from stool banks. Read the FDA guidance.
NIOSH has revoked seven approval numbers (provided below) issued to Honeywell Int’l. Inc. that were labeled as Sperian SAF-T-FIT filtering facepiece respirators (FFRs) due to Honeywell’s failure to control the design, labeling, and quality management required by federal law. Revocation means that respirators bearing any of the NIOSH approval numbers listed below may no longer be used, manufactured, assembled, sold, … Continued
The CDC released the 2021 annual National and State Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAI) Progress Report, which provides a summary of select HAIs across four healthcare settings: acute care hospitals (ACHs), critical access hospitals (CAHs), inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs) and long-term acute care hospitals (LTACHs). This report, along with the detailed technical tables, provides national- and state-level data about HAI … Continued
In an analysis of annual inspection data for 2019 and 2021, the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) found increases in both the number and severity of deficiencies in state veterans’ nursing homes. A majority of the increase was in the quality of care and infection control categories, which cover accidents and staff hand hygiene. While these … Continued
The CDC’s Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion (DHQP) is hosting a webinar discussing Enhanced Barrier Precautions (EBP) in nursing homes on November 15th at 1:00 p.m. EST. The discussion will include a detailed review of what EBP are, why EBP are recommended in nursing homes, and how to be successful with implementation. Presentations will be … Continued
The CDC issued a Health Alert Network (HAN) Health Update to keep healthcare providers informed about the ongoing outbreak of Ebola virus disease (EVD) in Uganda caused by Sudan virus. No suspect or confirmed EVD cases related to this outbreak have been reported in the U.S. or other countries outside of Uganda to date. The … Continued
The FDA issued a warning letter jointly with the Federal Trade Commission to Alternative Health Distribution LLC d/b/a CannaAid for selling unapproved and misbranded products for use in treating or preventing COVID-19.
The Evidence-based Practice Center (EPC) Program at the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) completed an evidence review on Infection Prevention and Control for the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and 911 Workforce. APIC provided input to this study. Key findings include: