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ARTICLE · 27 SEPTEMBER 2016

EPA IG's Concerns About Oversight Of Hospital Disinfectants Reinforces Need For Robust Infection Control Programs

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On September 19, 2016, the IG for the EPA issued the latest in a long line of reports identifying flaws in EPA's process for ensuring the efficacy of hospital-grade, hard-surface disinfectants.

United StatesEnvironment
David H. Quigley
David H. Quigley
Kelly Cleary
Kelly Cleary
Christopher Keough
Christopher Keough
John Jacob
John Jacob
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On September 19, 2016, the Inspector General (IG) for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued the latest in a long line of reports identifying flaws in EPA's process for ensuring the efficacy of hospital-grade, hard-surface disinfectants. The IG concluded that EPA's Antimicrobial Testing Program (ATP) "does not assure that hospital disinfectant products continue to be effective after they are registered" and that some products listed as effective on EPA's ATP website "could now be ineffective" due to inconsistencies in distributor products, product degradation or improper quality assurance. EPA IG, EPA Needs a Risk-Based Strategy to Assure Continued Effectiveness of Hospital-Level Disinfectants, Report No. 16-P-0316 (Sept. 19, 2016) ("2016 IG Report"). These products are critical components of hospitals' infection control programs, which are designed to prevent hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) among patients and staff. The report's findings suggest

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