Hospira's I.V. administration set product line to be standardized to non-DEHP

May 15 2010

Hospira, Inc. (NYSE: HSP), a leading global specialty pharmaceutical and medication delivery company, will expand its commitment to non-DEHP (non-di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate) products by transitioning customers to its portfolio of non-DEHP intravenous (I.V.) administration sets. This effort reflects the company's focus on patient safety, increased customer efficiency and reduced impact on the environment, and coincides with the CleanMed global conference on environmentally sustainable healthcare, which took place this week in Baltimore.

"By transitioning to non-DEHP sets, Hospira contributes to a cleaner environment, maintains the highest level of patient safety and helps hospitals simplify their inventory management by standardizing Hospira's non-DEHP product line," said Thomas Moore, president, U.S., Hospira. "Our customers have made it clear that they want non-DEHP products, and we're committed to meet this need."

Hospira began introducing non-DEHP sets a number of years ago, and will continue over the next year, with the vast majority of DEHP sets to be discontinued by early 2011.

Hospira's customers appreciate the company's commitment. When Abington Memorial Hospital, a 665-bed regional teaching hospital in Abington, Pa., learned that Hospira offers cost-effective, environmentally friendly alternatives, the hospital jumped at the opportunity to transition to non-DEHP products. "The more we looked into it, the more we knew it was the right thing to do – for our patients and the environment," said Meg McGoldrick, chief operating officer, Abington Memorial Hospital.

Efforts to minimize the release of DEHP into the environment are becoming increasingly common among healthcare facilities. By transitioning to non-DEHP, Hospira is helping to play a part in maintaining a healthy environment.

For Hospira, standardizing its I.V. administration set product line to non-DEHP also fits well with the company's Project Fuel optimization initiative to reduce complexity across its product portfolio. Hospira will work with customers to ensure a smooth transition to non-DEHP products.

Background on DEHP

Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate), or DEHP, is a plasticizer or softener commonly used in the manufacture of medical products such as I.V. bags and sets used to administer medications and solutions. The use of DEHP in medical products has been an industry standard for more than 40 years due to its compatibility with a variety of medications as well as its flexibility, cost-effectiveness, clarity and ease of sterilization.

In 2002, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a public health notification recommending that alternatives to DEHP-plasticized devices be used in certain identified applications. Hospira's continued transition to non-DEHP will help hospitals align with the recommendations of the FDA notification by providing non-DEHP medication delivery sets designed for use with neonates, and additional options for use with blood, and drugs and solutions that contain lipid (fat) – all of which are product areas identified in the notification.

The I.V. administration sets in Hospira's non-DEHP product line are manufactured with the plasticizer TOTM (tri-octyl trimellitate). TOTM has been used for decades in the manufacture of medical devices.