ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla., Oct. 24, 2007 — Just last spring, SafeSmart, Inc. launched SafetyTies, antimicrobial neckties that reduce the spread of infectious diseases and food-borne illness. Already, the medical marketplace is taking note of SafetyTies’ potential role in illness prevention, thanks to its participation in the prestigious Sixth Annual MedAssets Technology Forum hosted in St. Louis, October 2007.  

Headquartered in Atlanta, MedAssets improves healthcare providers’ margin and cash flow through revenue cycle and supply-chain initiates. At its annual MedAssets Technology Forum, committee members evaluate emerging technologies, regardless of size or scope, and support improving patient care through the development and availability of innovative products and new medical technology. MedAssets invited SafeSmart to participate because of its groundbreaking SafetyTies, which feature nano-treated fibers that render the 100% silk stain-resistant, wrinkle-resistant and, most important, resistant to bacteria.  

“It’s amazing that just a little over a year ago we were in the product development stages of creating SafetyTies,” said April Strider, SafeSmart, Inc.’s co-founder. “Clearly, we’ve hit upon a real need with this tie because the medical community is realizing how it can help prevent the spread of illness and disease simply by encouraging — or even requiring — those in this field to wear a SafetyTie. This is significant because an estimated 2 million patients contract infections in hospitals and over 100,000 die from them.” 

While at this invitation-only forum, SafeSmart, Inc. presented its product alongside 30 other companies at the vendor fair. In this informal setting, approximately 300 MedAssets committee members were able to stop by the booth, see live demonstrations, and learn firsthand about SafetyTies’ benefits. 

“We felt extremely honored to participate in this forum because it’s been an outstanding way to raise awareness about SafetyTies,” Strider said. “This forum has been an incredible experience, and an excellent opportunity to promote SafetyTies and demonstrate their potential value to the medical/healthcare communities, and especially the patients they serve.” 

About SafeSmart, Inc. After hearing a 2006 report on NPR linking physicians’ neckties to disease transmission, April Strider thought of her own kids and resolved to reduce the spread of infection and disease through a unique product: SafetyTies. Strider partnered with childhood friend Cindy Toole, and together they founded SafeSmart, Inc. and launched SafetyTies to the marketplace in early 2007. SafetyTies are 100% silk, come in 24 colors, and feature a protective barrier that blocks most dirt, stains and bacteria. The ties are ideal for anyone who wears a tie and is around children, as well as those who work in the medical/healthcare industries, food service, education, business, etc.  

For more information, visit http://www.safesmartinc.com. 

Contact:April Strider, Co-founder, SafeSmart, Inc., 904.824.5670

Although neckties promote an image of competence and professionalism in both the healthcare and hospitality industries, it is extremely easy for the ties to come into contact with food, patients, or hospital bedding, thereby picking up infectious bacteria.  In fact, a study presented by Dr. Steven Nurkin at the American Society for Microbiology's May 2004 conference found that doctors' neckties were eight times more likely to carry bacteria and spread infections than ties worn by hospital workers who did not have contact with patients.

When BCS submitted SafetyTies to microbiological challenge experiments, the ties' nano-treated material repelled bacterial contamination.  In the tests, SafetyTies inoculated with E. coli and Salmonella showed a greater than 99.99 percent reduction in bacterial growth, as compared to regular 100% silk neckties.

SafetyTies also underwent a bacterial challenge with gram-positive bacilli.  The ties' nano-treated silk fibers repelled 98 percent of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and 99.5% of vancomycin-resistant enterococci, both hospital-associated infections.

The Nurkin study found that one in four neckties worn by hospital doctors carried Staphylococcus aureus.  One in eight harbored hospital-acquired bacteria, such as Klebsiella pneumonia, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Acinetobacter baumannii, and 47.6 percent harbored potential pathogens.

According to hospitalinfection.org, infections contracted in hospitals are the fourth largest killer in America.  Every year, two million patients contract infections in hospitals and an estimated 103,000 die.  "This is not a minor issue,:" said Strider.

"The spread of contamination is also prevalent in the foodservice and hospitality industries," said Strider.  "The CDC estimates that foodborne diseases cause approximately 76 million illnesses, 325,000 hospitalizations, and 5,000 deaths in the United States each year.  Neckties tend to be an overlooked vector in the effort to protect patients, guests, or employees. The anti-microbial properties of SafetyTies address that oversight."  While SafetyTies are of great benefit to individuals in the healthcare and hospitality industry, the neckties also have a broad appeal to the general public, in particular their stain-resistance and water repellency. "We have found SafetyTies appeal to a wide range of professions, from educators to business professionals, most people really appreciate having an all around more durable, longer lasting necktie," said Strider.

Florida Times-Union April 19, 2007

Manufactured overseas, SafetyTies are coated with a microscopic barrier that forms a Teflon-like resistance to germs that normally nest in fabric fibers, according to April Strider, president and chief executive officer of SafeSmart Inc.

SafeSmart, Inc. Introduces SafetyTies Antimicrobial Neckties