U.S. buys 30M flu syringes from Arden Hills company

A local company will provide millions of syringes to battle the flu.

Star Tribune

Last update: October 28, 2009 - 9:07 PM

How many syringes does $10 million buy?

Only in the midst of a flu pandemic would anyone ponder such statistics.

But the answer is roughly 30 million, according to Smiths Medical, the Arden Hills-based medical device maker. It said this week that it has been awarded a contract worth up to $10 million from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for hypodermic syringes to aid in the government's national flu preparedness efforts.

Stuart Morris-Hipkins, president of Smiths Medical North America, said the company is proud to support the government's efforts to battle the H1N1 flu. "Expert estimates suggest that the H1N1 flu could affect half of all Americans, including groups like healthy young adults that were previously thought to be at low risk for the flu," he said.

The government said this week that more than 22 million doses of H1N1 flu vaccine are available.

Smiths' syringes, which can also be used to vaccinate patients against seasonal flu, are manufactured in New Hampshire.

Smiths Group is a British company whose U.S. headquarters in the Twin Cities employs about 600 people.

JANET MOORE

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