Protective Barrier Enclosure

Keeping those on the frontlines safe is a constant motivation to share and develop protective supplies. Like so many who have volunteered their time during this crisis, we also want to pool our collective resources and do our part to offer support. So, Intuitive Foundation had in mid-2020 collaborated with Intuitive Surgical on an effort to develop a protective enclosure in compliance with the U.S. FDA’s May 1, 2020 umbrella Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for protective barrier enclosures that do not use fans, air filters or other features and are not intended to generate negative pressure. Even when healthcare workers are wearing personal protective equipment (PPE), intubation and other aerosol generating procedures can pose some of the greatest contamination risks during the COVID-19 public health emergency. The hope was that, properly used, the protective barrier enclosure may offer some physical barrier/protection while still allowing the visualization and access needed for the procedure.

However, the U.S. FDA revoked this umbrella EUA in August (https://www.fda.gov/news-events/fda-brief/fda-brief-fda-revokes-emergency-use-authorization-protective-barrier-enclosures-without-negative). As a result, the protective barrier enclosures described here are not approved for use, and are not available for purchase.

Therefore, the below is just provided for historical information purposes.

The protective enclosure that Intuitive Foundation and Intuitive Surgical developed together under the now-revoked May 1, 2020 EUA, required one Mayo stand, one clip, and one plastic drape that will form the protective barrier enclosure, and was designed to ONLY be used in conjunction with required PPE (such as face masks, face shields, gowns, etcetera) that are worn by the healthcare provider. The graphics below describe how the protective barrier enclosure was to be set up.

As noted above, the information on this page is provided only to describe the efforts of Intuitive Foundation in response to the COVID-19 public health emergency, and should not be used to provide any protective enclosures.

Please send questions and feedback to: PPE@intuitive-foundation.org

Steps for the Protective Barrier Enclosure*

Components

Step 1 – Gather Needed Materials

Unfolding Drape

Step 2 – Open Drape Completely

Diamond

Step 3 – Orient Drape to Mayo Stand

Diamond Alternative

Step 3 – Orient Drape to Mayo Stand

Mayo Cart Positioning

Step 4 – Position Mayo Stand Over Patient

Intubating Refined

Step 5 – Use Protective Barrier Enclosure During Procedure

*Not approved for use. Provided for historical information only.

Intuitive Foundation and Intuitive Surpass the 1 Million Face Shield Mark

Pueblo of TesuqueThe need for personal protective equipment (PPE) for healthcare workers continues to rise, and Intuitive Surgical and the Intuitive Foundation continue to work together to help meet the challenge.

By surpassing our goal of 1 million face shields produced and donated, the Intuitive Foundation continues to deliver on its pledge to help frontline healthcare workers battle the COVID-19 pandemic and continues its overall commitment to give back to communities in need.

The face shield project complements broader efforts to produce and distribute high quality improvised face masks in medical and extended care facilities (including thousands created by Intuitive Surgical employees in their homes), and to bring hospitals a protective barrier enclosure to help protect healthcare providers when intubating patients. These efforts further augment its financial support for health-related charities and health-related organizations around the world.

The donated PPE has gone to hospitals in France, Mexico and the U.S., including significant donations to the Navajo Nation and several other First Nation tribes which have been especially hard hit by COVID-19.

“Our focus is to help in the fight against COVID-19, and this current environment sets up an opportunity for our calling to be achieved by helping our community during this pandemic,” said Rodrigo Arzate, Mexicali Director of Operations for Intuitive Surgical. Arzate’s operations produced 50,000 face shields a day starting in May, and was instrumental in achieving the 1 million face shields mark.

Setting up the new face shield lines required quick and thoughtful actions by the Mexicali team. From converting a warehouse and production lines to accommodating more employee volunteers to maintaining extreme safety protocols to prevent virus transmission, the ongoing production reflects the heart of the Mexicali team and its commitment to giving healthcare workers the best shot at staying safe.

The Intuitive Foundation’s contributions won’t stop at reaching the 1 million face shields mark, as it will continue programs pivot to online content and funding research to help frontline healthcare workers.

 

Intuitive Foundation and Fosun Pharma Help Fight COVID-19

N95 IntuFosunDonated Masks to HubeiReciprocating donations of protective N95 masks and tests highlight cooperation

The Intuitive Foundation, an independent philanthropic entity dedicated to helping people globally, and Fosun Pharma, the Shanghai, China-based pharmaceutical company, have exchanged donated equipment aimed at helping healthcare professionals in both countries battle COVID-19.

As the pandemic hit its peak in China early in 2020, the Intuitive Foundation coordinated donations for 4,800 N95 respirator masks to Huanggang Central Hospital, located in China’s Hubei province. Employees of Intuitive made direct donations through Bright Funds – an entity that helps match and coordinate philanthropic donations – to help purchase over $10,000 worth of medical supplies for other rural hospitals in the province through alumni groups with deep personal ties in the area.

After the pandemic began to flatten in China – and to spike in the U.S. – Fosun Pharma reciprocated the goodwill by sourcing 50,000 N95 respirator masks for the Intuitive Foundation to provide personal protective equipment (PPE) to healthcare facilities that needed it most.

“By working together, we’ve helped make a difference in each country’s response to this pandemic at the moments we each needed help the most,” said Catherine Mohr, president of the Intuitive Foundation. “It’s been an honor to be the recipient of Fosun Pharma’s generosity and we hope to continue finding ways to build upon this cooperation.”

“We are grateful for the generous humanitarian support from Intuitive Foundation and people around the world when COVID-19 hit China,” said Lily Zou, CEO of Fosun Pharma USA.  “Now we are honored and privileged to collaborate with the Intuitive Foundation again, leveraging each organization’s strength, to fight against this pandemic in the U.S.”

Intuitive Surgical and Fosun Pharma operate a joint venture in China to sell and support robotic-assisted technologies and services. The Intuitive Foundation is an independent entity from Intuitive Surgical.

About the Intuitive Foundation

Created in 2018 through a gift from Intuitive Surgical, the Intuitive Foundation is dedicated to reducing the global burden of disease and suffering through philanthropy, research and education aimed at better outcomes for patients everywhere. Through grants and other funding activities, the Foundation promotes global health, and supports research in the fields of science, medicine, technology, engineering, and math. In addition, the Foundation works to advance educational organizations and support related healthcare educational programs, training, and fellowships, and to provide direct disaster relief.

For more information, please visit the Foundation’s website at www.intuitive-foundation.org.

About Fosun Pharma

Founded in 1994, Shanghai Fosun Pharmaceutical (Group) Co., Ltd. (“Fosun Pharma”; stock code: 600196.SH, 02196.HK) is a leading healthcare group in China. Fosun Pharma has built strong roots in China and developed a global operation strategy with business that spans the entire healthcare value chain, which is centered on pharmaceutical manufacturing and R&D as its largest segments, with additional presence in medical devices and diagnostics, healthcare services, pharmaceutical distribution and retail.

With R&D innovation as core driving factor, Fosun Pharma continues to optimize its pharmaceutical operations across both innovative and generic drugs. The company has established international R&D centers for excellence in areas such as innovative small molecule drugs, high-value generic drugs, biologics, and cell-therapy.

Under guidance of our 4IN strategy (Innovation, Internationalization, Integration and Intelligentization), Fosun Pharma follows the brand concept of Innovation for Good Health and strives to be a leading enterprise in the global pharmaceutical and healthcare markets.

For more information on the company, please visit our official website: www.fosunpharma.com