FDA Gives Full Approval To Ohio Technology For Sterilizing Masks

COLUMBUS, OH — After two days of public pressure by Gov. Mike DeWine and President Donald Trump, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have given full approval of new technology to sterilize surgical masks in Ohio and other parts of the U.S.

The governor said Ohio-based tech company Battelle developed the breakthrough, which now allows previously-used surgical masks to be sterilized and reused in the field. Initially, the FDA gave only limited approval to Battelle's technology, which led to DeWine holding an emergency press conference on Sunday to plea with the FDA for full approval.

The lobbying worked. The FDA gave the technology full approval on Sunday evening.

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"This will not only help Ohio's healthcare workers on the front lines of the COVID-19 crisis, but Battelle will also be helping health care workers in hot spots throughout the country including New York and Washington state," DeWine said in a statement.

Besides using the technology in Ohio, Battelle is sending one of their surgical mask sterilizing machines to New York City and one to Stony Brook, New York. The company plans to send four more units elsewhere in the U.S. over the course of this week.

“We‘re grateful that the President and the FDA moved quickly to help us get this solution back up and running,” said Lt. Gov. Jon Husted. “This Ohio-driven solution has the potential to save lives now and in the future across the United States.”