Healthcare FAQs

Yes, please check the official EPA List N for an updated list of disinfectants that are effective against COVID-19. Please note some items may be under a master registration EPA number listing. If you have questions, please call your local Contec Healthcare representative for support. Please note some items may be under a master registration EPA number listing. If you have questions, please call your local Contec Healthcare representative for support. For all other COVID-19 information please visit our Contec COVID-19 resource page.

It is not uncommon to see cotton mops or relaundered microfiber products in operating rooms. According to strict USP guidelines, these products are not allowed into the pharmacy. Mopping systems and buckets should be dedicated to the pharmacy cleanroom and should not be used in other areas. Contec Healthcare offers many non-shedding mops for ISO Class 7 & 8 rooms.

Spores can survive in regular 70% isopropyl alcohol (IPA). Sterile alcohol is used to prevent the chance of contamination from spores that might be present in lower grades of isopropyl alcohol. Contec Sterile IPA is produced by filtering a solution of USP grade 70% isopropyl alcohol and 30% purified water through a 0.2 micron filter to prevent spores from entering the bottle. Then, the product is terminally sterilized to a 10-6 Sterility Assurance Level (SAL). This means that there is less than a one in a million probability that there is 1 cfu (colony forming unit) in the bottle. This process is verified by validation documentation. Contec Healthcare uses this same alcohol blend in the production of our sterile presaturated wipes. These products are terminally sterilized and are also validated to a 10-6 SAL.

Sterile alcohol manufacturers do not follow the same manufacturing protocol. Some companies do not manufacture in a clean environment or keep a documented record of the steps taken to validate the alcohol to a sterile level. Contec Sterile 70% isopropanol is made in the United States and validated sterile according to USP guidelines.

Ready-to-use disinfectant products are preferred for pharmacies. They ensure repeatability of process and eliminate the need for creating operating procedures for mixing, including water purity verification. Ready-to-use products also ensure that the correct amount of active ingredient is present, and often a longer shelf life vs. diluted solutions.

If you have a specific organism that is not on the product label which your customer's facility wants to address, please contact your Contec Healthcare expert. Contec Healthcare will work with you to determine the best path forward for your product efficacy requirements.

Contec Healthcare products, including PeridoxRTU®, are available in the US through one of our authorized healthcare dealers. To purchase PeridoxRTU in Canada, please email Contec Customer Service.

Yes. PeridoxRTU® Sporicidal Disinfectant & Cleaner, when used according to Contec Healthcare procedure, effectively removes chemotherapy residue from surfaces contaminated by hazardous drugs. It is ideal for cleaning, decontaminating and disinfecting surfaces pharmacy cleanrooms. Contact your Contec Healthcare expert to learn more.

While it is not required by USP Chapter <797>, it is considered an industry Best-Practice to use sterile wipes inside of an ISO-5 PEC.  Do not compromise your state-of-control by using non-sterile items inside of your most critical environment.

According to USP<797> Sterile Preparations guide, “sterile 70% IPA wetted gauze pads or other particle-generating material shall not be used to disinfect the sterile entry points of packages and devices.” Suggested operating procedures should state that nonessential objects that shed particles shall not be brought into the buffer area, including pencils, cardboard cartons, paper towels, and cotton items (e.g., gauze pads).

Our wipes and mops for the Compounding Pharmacy market, by definition, are “lint-free”, “non-shedding”, and “low-lint”. These terms are expected to be defined in a pending Recommended Practice of the Institute of Environmental Sciences Technology (IEST) as follows:

Non-shedding, low-lint, or lint-free wiper: A wiper exhibiting few, if any, fibers or other contamination, visible without magnification, which is separate from, or easily removed from the wiper material in a dry condition. Note: Materials containing natural fibers (e.g. any cotton, or cellulose content of 65% or more) are generally not considered to meet this definition. (Institute of Environmental Sciences and Technology Recommended Practice IEST-CC-RP-004.4 (pending))

Yes, designed for maximum mechanical removal of contaminants and even distribution of a disinfectant on walls and floors during a terminal clean, the Klean Max™ mop head is the perfect product in this environment. It is used once per room then discarded.

Supplies and equipment removed from shipping cartons shall be wiped before they are introduced into a critical environment.

All products must be removed from cardboard packaging in the anteroom outside the cleanroom. Before any item is introduced into the clean side of anteroom(s), placed into pass-through(s), or brought inside the perimeter of an SCA it must be wiped with PeridoxRTU®, PreEmpt RTU, TB1-3300™ or sterile 70% IPA using low-lint wipers by personnel wearing gloves.

Sterile Items will be packaged with an inner and an outer bag. After sanitizing the outer-bag one can open and remove the inner bag while inside the Buffer area. Before the inner-bag is introduced into the PEC, it must be wiped with sterile 70% IPA using low-lint wipers and allowed to dry before use.

Yes, we invite you to work with our specialists to improve your critical care cleaning process. We will assist you in selecting the Contec Healthcare wipes, mops and solutions that best fit your application. More importantly, we will help you design correct procedures that will improve your processes. To arrange a trial, or to learn more about Contec Healthcare and our products please contact a expert or visit our Education & Training page.