VA hospitals to get easier access to Cepheid’s test kits

October 5, 2007 — Cepheid Inc. (Nasdaq: CPHD) says it has received two Veterans Affairs Federal Supply Service Schedule contracts for the company’s GeneXpert System and the Xpert MRSA test for the rapid detection of Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, a type of bacteria that is resistant to the most-common antibiotics used in hospitals.

The two contracts are expected to streamline the acquisition process and ensure VA hospitals and other federal agencies can purchase GeneXpert Systems and Xpert MRSA test kits without individual negotiations as they await funding for the next fiscal year, the company said in a news release. The kits use microfluidic technology.

In January, the Veterans Health Administration issued a directive requiring all VHA facilities to test its patients for MRSA and advised molecular based testing wherever feasible, the company said.

MRSA is a growing public health concern and is cited as the leading cause of hospital acquired infections.

POST A COMMENT

Easily post a comment below using your Linkedin, Twitter, Google or Facebook account. Comments won't automatically be posted to your social media accounts unless you select to share.