With First U.S. Ebola Victim, Are Hospitals & The Public Prepared To Fight The Virus in America? Biolife Ramps Up Production Of Its Topical Powder That Stops Bleeding Instantly.

SARASOTA, Fla., Oct. 8, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Less than a week ago, Ebola was someone else's problem on another continent. Today, the first Ebola patient diagnosed in the U.S. died and the virus is an American health issue that concerns millions. Are hospitals and the general public prepared to fight it?

While other cases in the U.S. have been mild to date, the virus can cause unstoppable bleeding and shut down organs. To help healthcare professionals contain the virus in case of local outbreaks where bleeding occurs, Biolife, the manufacturer of WoundSeal and StatSeal, has increased production of its topical powder that stops bleeding instantly by forming a protective seal or scab in seconds.

"Every hospital has a protocol to treat Ebola in case it happens in their city," states Tim Kelly, executive vice president, Biolife. "Unfortunately, that protocol typically includes touching blood numerous times to stop the bleeding with pressure and, after it does, bandage it. In many cases, traditional aids don't immediately seal the wound, which can allow the wound to rebleed after the health care professional has moved on to another patient. This can lead to innocent people mistakenly touching the open wound and getting exposed to the virus.

"With our topical powder – StatSeal for hospital use, WoundSeal for the general public – we can immediately stop the bleeding and keep the patient's blood from contaminating others. Upon contact with blood, our powder creates an instant scab that seals the wound and keeps blood in the patient's body and away from others. Our powder is not a cure for Ebola, but it will make a hospital's Ebola protocol even better by containing one aspect of the deadly virus in order for health professionals to treat other symptoms."

Biolife, which recently teamed with Matthew 25: Ministries (5,000 WoundSeal applications donated) and MedShare (10,000 applications donated) to send the product to healthcare professionals in Liberia, is ramping up production of its topical powder for distribution to its hospital network.

"The war against the spread of Ebola requires an all-out effort to contain the disease at its source," states Louis M. Guzzi, MD, a leading critical care physician in Orlando. "While every physician has read the textbook on how to identify it and treat the virus, the fact remains that the less we touch blood, the less the chance we have to spread the virus to others.

"Therefore, WoundSeal will decrease the risk of exposure to contagion for health workers, family and the populace. This is just one of many measures that need to be taken to help staunch the spread of this deadly disease."

How WoundSeal Works

While bandages, gauze and hemostatic agents have been on the market to provide first aid for minor external wounds, WoundSeal is the only product that can treat a broad range of external bleeding. Here is how it works:

• With blood present, the caregiver or victim pours the topical powder - comprised of a hydrophilic polymer and potassium ferrate – onto the wound and applies light pressure. Powder + Pressure = Instant Scab.
• The powder interacts with the wound's blood to form a protective scab in seconds. Note: the powder works independently of the body's blood-clotting cascade to stop bleeding without entering the blood stream.
• The instant scab protects the wound and is waterproof. It falls off naturally as the wound heals.

Through WoundSeal's technology, treating a bleeding wound is reduced from a number of steps and products to one easy-to-use application that reduces actual bleeding time from minutes, hours or even days (as with senior citizens) to just seconds.

Biolife Asks For Your Help To Give More

"Biolife provides product to those less fortunate or who have suffered through disasters where fast and effective wound care is critical," states Andrew McFall, vice president, Biolife. "We are proud to answer the call made by the President. While we're initially sending 15,000 applications, we want to do much more since this will be an ongoing health issue that could impact thousands.

"That's why we've set a goal to send 80,000 more applications to West Africa and wherever Ebola spreads. Through October 30, for every one package of WoundSeal we sell at our retail partners and online at www.woundseal.com, we'll donate four additional applications to charities serving those in need. Helping people and saving lives is why we are in business, and we hope Americans will join us to help those in need in West Africa."

WoundSeal is available online at www.woundseal.com or at leading retailers such as Walgreens, CVS, Rite Aid and others.

About Biolife, LLC

Biolife, L.L.C. is a privately-owned company that manufactures and distributes a patented topical powder that stops bleeding and forms a seal over an external bleeding wound or an access site.  Founded in 1999 and headquartered in Sarasota, Florida, Biolife's powder products are sold to leading hospitals, occupational workplaces, professional sports teams, and consumers across the country. The company's mission is to develop and market products that improve the consumer's quality of life. For more detailed information on Biolife, LLC please call toll free 1-800-722-7559 or visit www.biolife.com.

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SOURCE Biolife LLC