# 3939
A recent study of the efficacy of N95 masks vs Surgical masks conducted by an Australian researcher in China has been abruptly retracted according to an announcement at the IDSA meeting in Philadelphia on Saturday.
This from WebMD.
Swine Flu Study on N95 Masks Retracted
from WebMD — a health information Web site for patients
Charlene Laino
November 2, 2009 (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) — N95 masks may be no better than ordinary disposable surgical masks at preventing the flu, after all.
The same researchers who reported in September that only N95 masks offer significant protection against flu now say a reanalysis of their data shows that just isn't true.
Holly Seale, PhD, of the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia, presented the updated results on Saturday at the annual meeting of the Infectious Diseases Society of America.
Neil Fishman, MD, an infectious disease specialist at the University of Pennsylvania, says many researchers had been critical of the original findings.
The IOM (Institute of Medicine) recently came out with their analysis and they came down decidedly on the side of N95 respirators instead of surgical masks.
The complete 68 page IOM report can be downloaded by clicking the graphic below. It is free, although you’ll be asked for your email address.
Roughly a month ago, a randomized trial out of Canada appeared in JAMA showing that surgical masks are as effective as N95s in protecting HCWs (see JAMA: Surgical Masks vs N95 Respirators).
All of this leaves HCWs (Health Care Workers) wondering exactly what the true level of protection is from these different types of masks, and finding no definitive answer.
Related Post:
- ACP Calls For Health Care Worker Immunizations
- CMAJ On Mandatory Flu Shot For HCWs
- Rhode Island Adopts New Flu Vaccination Requirements For HCPs
- Downton Abbey Rekindles An Old HCW Debate
- Three Would Make For A Crowded Viral Field
- Flu Shot Ethics
- Lancet Perspective: Mandatory Flu Vaccination For HCWs
- SHEA: Improving HCW Flu Vaccine Uptake
- APIC Calls For Mandatory Flu Vaccination For HCWs
- Mandatory HCW Vaccinations: The Survey Says . . .
- AAP: Recommends Mandatory Flu Vaccinations For HCWs
- SHEA: Mandatory Vaccination Of Health Care Workers
- MDs Behaving Badly
- Study: Mandatory Flu Vaccination Of HCWs
- Study: Willingness Of HCWs To Work In A Pandemic
- CMAJ: Seasonal Flu Vax Rates Among Canadian HCWs
- IDSA Urges Mandatory Flu Vaccinations For Healthcare Workers
- More ICEID Coverage From CIDRAP
- UK: HCWs `Professional Duty’ To Get Flu Jab
- CSA White Paper: Voices From The Front Lines
- UK: Low Uptake Of Vaccine Among HCWs
- NIOSH On HCW Work Safety
- ANA Calls Shortage Of N95 Respirators Unacceptable
- Referral: When The Nurse Gets The Flu
- NIOSH: 9/5 Is N95 Day
- Study: Aerosolized Influenza And PPEs
- Boom! or Bust . . . They’ve Got You Covered
- Another Mask Study To Ponder
- CDC: Proposed Influenza Infection Control Guidance
- Study: Efficacy of Facemasks Vs. Respirators
- The Respirator Controversy Continues
- JAMA: Surgical Masks vs N95 Respirators
- NEJM Perspective: Respiratory Protection For HCWs
- A Surgical Mask Strike
- IOM Recommends N95s For HCWs
- NIOSH: 9/5 Is N95 Day
- Study: Aerosolized Influenza And PPEs
- Downton Abbey Rekindles An Old HCW Debate
- Our First Line Of Defense
- PPEs & Transocular Influenza Transmission
- Study: Longevity Of Viruses On PPEs
- IOM: PPEs For HCWs 2010 Update
- More ICEID Coverage From CIDRAP
- CSA White Paper: Voices From The Front Lines
- JHU: Drills Expose Gaps In Infection Protection
- Lessons Learned: ICUs And Pandemic Infection Control
- ANA Calls Shortage Of N95 Respirators Unacceptable
- NEJM Perspective: Respiratory Protection For HCWs
Widget by [ Iptek-4u ]