Roche to sponsor 3rd Annual World MRSA Day

As part of its ongoing work in the prevention and control of serious infections in healthcare settings, Roche (SIX: RO, ROG; OTCQX: RHHBY) announced today its sponsorship of the 3rd Annual World MRSA Day. The kick-off event and global MRSA summit will be held on October 1, 2011, at Loyola University Stritch School of Medicine in Maywood, Ill.

Organized by the MRSA Survivors Network, World MRSA Day highlights the importance of a comprehensive approach to controlling MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus), a type of bacterium that is resistant to common antibiotics and can cause serious infections. High rates of infection and mortality and high costs of treatment due to healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) caused by MRSA are a critical issue for healthcare facilities worldwide. The goal for the event is to raise widespread awareness of the need for greater MRSA prevention, screening, treatment and education.

"Roche applauds the MRSA Survivors Network for bringing this important issue to the forefront and we are honored to be a sponsor of World MRSA Day," said Jack Phillips, president and CEO of Roche Diagnostics Corporation. "Healthcare-associated infections caused by MRSA are preventable, and we believe that more education, together with effective screening and infection control programs, can significantly reduce the spread of MRSA and its consequences."