1. Dear Colleague,
The role of health care apparel worn in clinical settings has been, and will continue to be, studied and better
understood. As a result, more hospitals are requiring staff to wear apparel with fluid repellency and
antimicrobial technology, or “active barrier” technology.
After a thorough review of solutions designed to address this issue, the American Hospital Association
(AHA) has awarded its exclusive endorsement to Vestagen Protective Technologies, Inc.’s VESTEX®
Active Barrier Apparel, a protective fabric that combines fluid repellency and antimicrobial technologies
embedded into health care worker scrubs, lab coats and jackets.
The AHA Endorsement is the result of an extensive and rigorous process that begins with the identification
of hospitals’ most significant market challenges and ends with the selection of the solution that best
addresses them.
Designed for wear throughout the entire work shift, VESTEX Active Barrier uniforms are designed to reduce
the risks associated with unanticipated body fluid exposures while maintaining the integrity and cleanliness
of the fabric itself. The benefits of VESTEX are also available in patient apparel. In a hospital setting,
VESTEX apparel has been shown to reduce MRSA on the fabric using a dual mechanism of action.1
 The first level of protection comes from the fabric’s fluid barrier, which repels splatters, spills and
body fluids
 The repellency enables a second level of protection, an EPA registered antimicrobial agent that
minimizes growth of bacteria on the fabric
 The fabric also breathes and wicks moisture to keep wearers cool and comfortable all shift long
AHA Solutions sets strategy and determines selection criteria against market need, driven by input from and
knowledge of the hospital community, to assess relevant products and services. When a product/service
demonstrates outstanding commitment to health care excellence and leadership in all selection criteria, the
AHA proudly awards its exclusive endorsement.
With VESTEX Active Barrier Apparel, Vestagen has proven its commitment to helping health care
organizations support their culture of safety. Hospitals, health systems and other health care organizations
selecting a product or service that is endorsed by the AHA can be confident it has met the AHA's highest
standards. To learn more about VESTEX, Vestagen Protective Technologies, Inc. and AHA Solutions,
please contact Eric Bogguess at 312.895.2533 or ebogguess@aha.org.
Sincerely,
Kathleen Wessel
Vice President, Business Management
AHA Solutions, a division of Health Forum
An American Hospital Association Company
1
Bearman GM, Rosato A, Elam K, et al. A crossover trial of antimicrobial scrubs to reduce methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus burden on healthcare worker apparel. Infect
Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2012;33:268–275.