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Today is World Environment Day – an awareness day held annually on June 5th and organised by the United Nations to encourage consciousness and action for the protection of our environment – which is why it is the perfect day to announce Bedfont® Scientific Ltd.’s #EcoResolution.

As the threat of global warming seems ever pertinent and with technology making more people aware of climate change and its devastating effect, more and more people are beginning to think about their impact on the environment and so it only makes sense that as companies we should consider our carbon footprints also, and how to reduce them.

If the past few months during lockdown have proven anything, it is that nature is a wonderfully resilient thing; carbon emissions have fallen sharply and the lower pollution levels and lack of human footfall have allowed for the water in Venice to become clear enough for fish and even jellyfish to be seen swimming in the canals, and for endangered sea turtles to have a rise in population.

While the environment has been able to recover over a short period of time, it makes one think how much of an impact we really have on eco-systems and how we can make changes going forward to not reverse the good that has come about.

At Bedfont®, we’ve always been conscious of our carbon footprint, and today we are proud to announce our #EcoResolution to make all of our consumables eco-friendly by 2025. This not only includes changing the materials our consumables are made of, but also making changes throughout its production lifetime to reduce our climate impact, including sourcing new eco-friendly materials from sustainable resources.

We’re excited to share that our first step in making this happen is by introducing our SteriBreath™ Eco mouthpiece. Whilst the current polypropylene SteriBreath™ mouthpieces are recyclable, there are not many facilities available to break down this grade 5 plastic. Unfortunately, polypropylene also takes several years to break down naturally in landfills, and because it is plastic, when incinerated it results in the release of toxic fumes, which contribute to pollution levels.

It is, for this reason, we have conscientiously sought after a way to provide more environmentally-friendly mouthpieces. The SteriBreath™ Eco is 100% made from paper and therefore it is 100% recyclable and 100% biodegradable, including its packaging. Even better, all the materials are from sustainable sources, meaning we are reducing our carbon footprint in even the production phase. It’s going to be a difficult journey to change the norm of consumables in the medical device industry, but like the story of the butterfly effect, the smallest changes can have the biggest impacts.

The NObreath Fractional exhaled Nitric Oxide (FeNO) monitor from Bedfont is being used in a novel study to see if FeNO levels are affected by COVID-19

Testing has started at the Hospital Policlin São José dos Campos in Brazil to establish what effect SARS-COV-2 (COVID-19) has on FeNO levels, and if measuring FeNO can act as a biomarker of prognosis for COVID-19 patients. The study, conducted by Professor Rodolfo de Paula Vieira, uses the NObreath® FeNO monitor from Bedfont Scientific Ltd. to take measurements during the initial consultation, together with other parameters.

Prof. de Paula Vieira explains, “High levels of FeNO have been associated with bronchial inflammation, remodeling (fibrosis) and hyperresponsiveness in asthmatic patients, and especially asthma severity and prognosis. Thus, due to the nature of the inflammatory and rapid fibrotic process found in COVID-19 patients, we hypothesized that COVID-19 patients could present high levels of FeNO at the beginning of the disease. In addition, some mild and moderate symptomatic patients presenting COVID-19 symptoms have come to the hospital and some of them develop the severe form of COVID-19. The study will evaluate the possible correlation between FeNO levels with the progression of severe COVID-19 patients and if a correlation can be found between FeNO and the progression and severity of COVID-19, FeNO could be introduced to general practice for initial trial of individuals with COVID-19 symptoms, aiming to permit an early medical intervention to avoid the illness becoming more severe.”

Managing Director, Jason Smith, says, “We have been working with Professor de Paula Vieira for some time now and are privileged to have him and his enthusiastic team on our Medical Advisory Board. We have collated as much clinical theory as possible on this subject; some suggest FeNO levels could rise some suggesting it could fall, but as this virus is very new and novel there really is no replacement for targeted testing which we believe will be the first of its kind.”

Smokerlyzer manufacturer urges people to quit Smoking ahead of No Smoking Day 2020

In March 1985, Bedfont Scientific Ltd. launched the Smokerlyzer carbon monoxide (CO) monitor to help people quit smoking. Today, the Smokerlyzer is still used worldwide by Stop Smoking Services and Bedfont are urging people to start their smoke-free journey as No Smoking Day approaches on 11th March.

According to the World Health Organisation, tobacco smoking is responsible for 8 million deaths each year, of which 1.2 million deaths are actually non-smokers being exposed to second-hand smoke. No Smoking Day is acknowledged annually throughout the UK to encourage smoking cessation and raise awareness of the health-related risks brought about from cigarettes.

Jason Smith, Managing Director at Bedfont® Scientific, comments, “No Smoking Day is the perfect opportunity to quit the habit. The UK is already moving towards a smoke-free future and quitting begins by visiting your local Stop Smoking Service and asking for a Smokerlyzer breath test. The monitor works by doing what comes naturally – breathing.”

By analysing a breath sample, the Smokerlyzer can tell how much CO is in your lungs and blood that has been inhaled from smoking. Smoking builds high levels of CO in the blood, which can lead to heart disease, circulation problems, and high blood pressure. The Smokerlyzer is a useful tool for Stop Smoking Services to establish a smoker’s status, whilst acting as a motivational visual aid to encourage patients to quit smoking and to measure their progress whilst doing so, helping to prevent cancer and other smoking related diseases.

To find your local Stop Smoking Service and take a Smokerlyzer breath test, visit https://www.nhs.uk/smokefree/help-and-advice/local-support-services-helplines.

References:

1. Tobacco [Internet]. Who.int. 2020 [cited 9 March 2020]. Available from: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/tobacco

Bedfont Scientific Ltd. is proud to share its statistics for IWD 2020

Every 8th March for over 100 years, International Women’s Day (IWD) celebrates the economic, cultural and political achievements of women as well as building and accelerating women’s equality¹. Local med-tech company, Bedfont Scientific Ltd., is proud to celebrate and share its statistics this IWD.

A small second-generation family business of 48 employees, 46% of Bedfont’s workforce is made up of women and so is 50% of their management team.

Bedfont takes pride in being an innovative and progressive company and have taken many steps to improve their employee welfare over the past couple of years, including establishing Well-being Warriors, training up Mental Health First-aiders, building a break-out room for their employees, and much more.

Niki Carter, Office & HR Manager, comments, “We strive to create a great culture here by defining a diverse and inclusive atmosphere. How we treat our employees has a direct impact on economic growth – happiness leads to increased productivity, creativity, and innovation. It’s really great to see the strides the company are taking to look after us – we see ourselves as the Bedfont Family.”

References:

1. International Women’s Day 2020 [Internet]. International Women’s Day. 2020 [cited 9 March 2020]. Available from: https://www.internationalwomensday.com/

Bedfont has been named as a finalist in 2 categories for the Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce Awards

An annual event, the Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce Awards brings the business community together to celebrate the achievements of local businesses and individuals. This year Bedfont are proud to have been named as finalists for Exporter of the Year and Innovative Business of the Year.

Bedfont, who design and manufacture breath analysis medical devices, have been trading since 1976, and export their products across the globe thanks to their network of carefully selected distributors.

They began with one breath analysis product, which was innovated and developed over the past 40 years to create 8 breath analysis products. This includes carbon monoxide (CO) monitors such as the Smokerlyzer®, used for smoking cessation, and the ToxCO®, used by emergency services, to screen for CO poisoning. The NObreath® FeNO monitor provides accurate analysis of airway inflammation for the control of asthma, and the Gastrolyzer® range aids in the detection of gastrointestinal disorders and food intolerances. Quick and non-invasive, breath analysis is the new blood test.

Jason Smith, Managing Director, comments, “We’re thrilled to make it through to the finals of the Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce Awards; neither achievement would have been possible without the hard work and dedication of the Bedfont Family – our employees and distributors. Just to be named among the top companies in Kent is an honour and we look forward to celebrating everyone’s accomplishments at the Gala.”

The awards are being held at Westenhanger Castle on 19^th March.

Bedfont acquires first overseas office in Austria

Bedfont, based in Kent, has purchased its first European office in Salzburg, Austria from Dr. Lahner GmbH, who was its first distributor when Bedfont began exporting in 1988. Bedfont has been in talks with Dr. Lahner for several months and is pleased to announce that the deal completed on Friday 31^st January 2020.

Bedfont is confident this move will only strengthen its presence in Europe by increasing both brand and product awareness, helping them to gain access to new markets, including, Germany.

Jason Smith, Managing Director, comments, “The plan has always been to branch out with additional offices strategically located across the globe but Brexit has expedited this process to a small extent – regardless, I am very happy to announce that we have acquired our first European office and we’re excited to work alongside Dorothea.”

Dr. Dorothea Lahner says, “As a Managing Director, I have always believed customer satisfaction is the key to success. As a customer of Bedfont since 1988, the dedication that Bedfont shows me as a customer is unfaltering. I look forward to helping Bedfont with the transition to establish their new European office and wish them all the success in the future.”

Bedfont has signed an exclusive deal with Factair to supply the new F8004 Multi-Air Tester to the GCC, launching the new product at Arab Health 2020

Leading breath and gas analysis manufacturer and supplier, Bedfont Scientific Ltd., returns to the largest healthcare exhibition in the Gulf Cooperation Council, Arab Health, in 2020 with a brand new product – the F8004 Multi-Air Tester.

With a number of standards already pre-set in the F8004’s memory (BS EN12021, HTM02-01, EU Pharmacopeia, and AS/NZS 1715), the new multi-air tester is ideal for both medical and dental air testing for a wide range of gasses and contaminants all within one device. Designed to provide a quick and easy method for carrying out accurate testing of breathing-air supplies, the Multi-Air Tester is the latest addition to their Medi-Gas Check range of portable medical gas analysers for pipelines, which also includes the G200 and G210.

Matthew Skinner, Sales Manager, said, “We’ve signed an exclusive deal with Factair to be the sole supplier of the F8004 in the Middle East and the UK and we couldn’t be more excited to launch this product at the GCC’s largest exhibition. This product really is the one-stop-shop for all your medical air testing needs and we believe Arab Health is the perfect place to showcase this.”

Alongside the new F8004, Bedfont will also be exhibiting its wide range of breath analysis medical devices; this includes the Smokerlyzer®, used for smoking cessation, and the ToxCO®, used by emergency services, to screen for CO poisoning. The Gastrolyzer® range aids in the detection of gastrointestinal disorders and food intolerances, and the NObreath® FeNO monitor aids in the diagnosis and monitoring of asthma.

This year, Arab Health is taking place now until 30th January in Dubai and Bedfont can be found at Stand C07, Hall 3.

Bedfont has donated a monitor designed to improve asthma care to local charity and asthma advice service, Medway Asthma Self-Help (MASH)

With asthma becoming an increasing concern, medical device manufacturer, Bedfont Scientific Ltd., has donated a fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) monitor to local charity MASH, which specialises providing information and support to asthma sufferers and their families.

Asthma, a chronic respiratory disease that causes difficulty in breathing1, is estimated to affect 5.4 million people in the UK, which is among the highest asthma rates in the world, and was responsible for more than 1400 deaths last year; an increase of 8% on equivalent Asthma UK figures for 20172. Further data from The Office for National Statistics (ONS) shows deaths from asthma attacks are at the highest point for a decade and have increased by more than 33% over the last ten years3. The National Review of Asthma Deaths (NRAD), commissioned 5 years ago, found that two-thirds of asthma deaths could have been prevented by better basic care3, something that Bedfont is now hoping to achieve with the NObreath® FeNO monitor.

Conformed to ATS and ERS guidelines4, Bedfont’s NObreath® is ideal for patients and GPs as it uses quick, easy and non-invasive breath analysis to aid in the diagnosis and management of asthma. Interpreting FeNO levels aids in identifying patients who do/do not require on-going treatment5, helps to assess inhaler technique, aids in differentiating between allergic (eosinophilic) and non-allergic asthma6, and if used daily, FeNO measurements can help to predict exacerbations and attacks7.

MASH, based in Gillingham, has been established since 1996 and helps asthma patients in the Medway Council area by providing information on asthma, and, in close cooperation with Primary Care and other NHS services, a diagnostic and management service for adults and children. The charity offers appointments with a specialist asthma nurse, offers asthma allergy testing and lung function testing, and provides advice on treatment and using inhalers.

Jason Smith, Managing Director at Bedfont, explains, “With asthma related deaths at an all-time high, FeNO monitoring needs to be included in basic asthma care more than ever. We have decided to donate a NObreath® to MASH, which is great charity that supports people in our local community, some of whom actually work for Bedfont. Hopefully with a NObreath to aid their services, more people can receive a quick diagnosis and more detailed treatment after knowing their FeNO levels and their asthma subtype has been differentiated.”

Dr Martin Farebrother, a Trustee of MASH, adds, “As a retired physician specialising in respiratory medicine, I am only too well aware of the difficulties of diagnosis and management in some asthmatics. Measurement of FeNO has added significantly to the ability to determine the correct diagnosis and the best care. Bedfont are leaders in this field and their monitor is recognised as meeting the highest standards. At MASH we welcome this gEnerous donation from Bedfont, and we look forward to working with them to improve our ability to provide the best service to these people. This cooperation is especially appropriate because they are a locally based company.”

-ends-

References

1.     Asthma [Internet]. World Health Organization. 2018 [cited 8 October 2019]. Available from: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs307/en/

2.     Asthma Data Visualisations | Asthma UK [Internet]. Asthma UK. 2019 [cited 8 October 2019]. Available from: https://www.asthma.org.uk/support-us/campaigns/data-visualisations/

3.     OnMedica – News – Asthma deaths have risen by a third over past decade in England and Wales [Internet]. Onmedica.com. 2019 [cited 8 October 2019]. Available from: https://www.onmedica.com/newsarticle.aspx?id=ed8553f5-83c2-4ea2-9f87-a9c23ec446c6

4.     ATS/ERS Recommendations for Standardized Procedures for the Online and Offline Measurement of Exhaled Lower Respiratory Nitric Oxide and Nasal Nitric Oxide, 2005; American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine; vol. 171: 912-930;2005

5.     Andrew D. Smith, Jan O. Cowan, Sue Filsell, Chris MacLachlan, Gabrielle Monti-Sheehan, Pamela Jackson and D. Robin Taylor. Diagnosing Asthma: Comparisons between Exhaled Nitric Oxide Measurements and Conventional Tests. Am J Respir Crit Care Med Vol 169. pp 473-478, 2004.

6.     Coumou HBel E. Improving the diagnosis of eosinophilic asthma [Internet]. Taylor and Francis online. 2017 [cited 8 October 2019]. Available from: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17476348.2017.1236688

7.     Harkins M. Exhaled Nitric Oxide Predicts Asthma Exacerbation [Internet]. Taylor & Francis. 2017 [cited 8 October 2019]. Available from: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1081/JAS-120033990

Bedfont Scientific Ltd. has been listed in the European Business Awards’ ‘Ones to Watch’ list for demonstrating business excellence

Family med-tech business, Bedfont Scientific Ltd., has made the ‘Ones to Watch’ list published by the European Business Awards, one of world’s largest and longest running business competitions. For the 2nd year running, Bedfont has made the cut for the list of businesses across Europe which are chosen for demonstrating exceptional achievements and reflecting the programme’s core values of innovation, success and ethics.

Bedfont, based in Kent, has specialised in the design and manufacture of innovative breath analysis devices for over 40 years. Their exhaled breath monitors offer patients and healthcare professionals quick, easy and non-invasive methods of medicine. Their products include the Smokerlyzer range for smoking cessation, the ToxCO which screens for CO poisoning, the NObreath FeNO monitor for the diagnosis and management of asthma, and the Gastrolyzer range for helping to detect gastrointestinal disorders and food intolerances.

Adrian Tripp, CEO of the European Business Awards, said, “The companies chosen as ‘Ones to Watch’ are the most inspirational, successful and dynamic in Europe. The talent and tenacity at the heart of these businesses creates jobs and drives Europe’s prosperity. This ‘Ones to Watch’ list of excellence is a benchmark of success for the rest of the European business community.”

Jason Smith, Managing Director at Bedfont, commented, “To be recognised as one of the top businesses in Europe for the 2nd year in a row is really quite gratifying. We are very proud to be included on the ‘Ones to Watch’ list and would not be on it without the hard work and dedication of the Bedfont Family – our employees and our distributors. This is their recognition, so thank you.”