New EO Sterilization Prioritizes Safety

Half of all medical devices are sterilized using ethylene oxide (EO) sterilization, yet EO emissions are reported to have potential negative health impacts on workers and nearby residents of sterilization facilities.

To address this concern, PAMA Manufacturing and Sterilization has introduced a new EO sterilization solution that can be used with any type of medical device and packaging. The solution uses 50% less EO gas in its sterilization cycle, resulting in a significant reduction of negative environmental impacts. A closed system captures any consumed EO and directs it to an in-house scrubber to remove harmful materials, preventing the release of EO into the environment.

PAMA’s engineering team began research and development of the new EO sterilization process in 2016, taking the time to understand EO sterilization in the US and make improvements to the classic sterilization system. In 2021, the process obtained ISO-11135 certification, at which time the company deployed its marketing plan.

The process was first marketed in Canada where it is regulated by the Canadian government. Next, the company focused on gaining visibility in the United States: It attended MD&M West in February, 2023, and issued a new press release targeting the US market.

According to PAMA, the price of the company’s sterilization services is competitive with other contract sterilization companies. Additionally, the process is quicker, saving customers up to seven days of wait time and reducing on-hand inventory costs.