Essity to join global task force on prophylactic dressing standards in wound care

Essity was selected from a wide pool of applicants to join the PDSI Task Force due to the company’s expertise

Hygiene and health company Essity, maker of the Cutimed brand of wound care products, has been chosen to serve on an international task force addressing a need for treatment standards for pressure injuries. The task force will lead the Prophylactic Dressing Standards Initiative (PDSI), a new effort jointly created by the National Pressure Injury Advisory Panel (NPIAP) and the European Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel (EPUAP) to establish standardised protocols for prophylactic dressings. To date, there are no known standards for prophylactic dressings, despite a global increase in usage.

Essity was selected from a wide pool of applicants to join the PDSI Task Force due to the company’s expertise, innovation and offerings in advanced and acute wound care ꟷ including wound bed, infection, exudate and tissue management. Essity’s range of wound care solutions under the brand Cutimed, including Cutimed Sorbact bacteria-binding technology, help deliver positive clinical outcomes in wound management.

Immediate and long-term priorities of the PDSI Task Force include:

• Define and agree on the scope of prophylactic dressing standards;
• Select specific topics and standards for initial development;
• Develop testing standards over the next three years;
• Validate testing standards through the Task Force;
• Submit validated testing standards to international and national standard organisations for accreditation.

“Being selected for the Task Force is an honour and a testament to our contributions to therapies,” said James Widener, Market Access and Health Policy Manager for Essity in North America and member of the PDSI Task Force. “When this NPIAP initiative was announced, we understood the importance for both patients and healthcare providers. Essity, along with our industry partners on the Task Force, is committed to improving patient outcomes. Developing a unified approach to pressure injury prevention will enable healthcare providers to offer patients the best solutions early in treatment. Our ultimate goal is to enhance patients’ quality of life by healing wounds faster and more thoroughly.”

The PDSI Task Force is consist of expert representatives from a range of professional backgrounds including clinicians, researchers and policymakers. 

In addition to Jim Widener, the following Essity employees will serve on the PDSI Task Force; Dr Ulrike Lehnigk, Global Medical Advisor, Therapeutic Area Advanced Wound Care; Tony Forsberg, National Clinical Director and Amy Gray, RN, BSN, CWS, Clinical Manager.

Pressure injuries are one of the most common types of injuries, with 2.5 million patients developing a pressure injury per year. The injuries are localised damage to the skin and underlying soft tissue, usually occurring over a bony prominence and often result from prolonged use of medical devices. Prophylactic dressings are essential for the prevention of these injuries. Because of the frequency and severity of pressure injuries, they must be treated quickly and appropriately to prevent further damage and to allow for proper healing.