The cost-effective PrePex device encourages more governments to purchase the devices and scale-up their Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision programs
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. — November 29, 2016 — Based on its recent analysis of the male circumcision methods and devices market, Frost & Sullivan recognizes Circ MedTech Ltd. with the 2016 Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) Frost & Sullivan Award for New Product Innovation. Circ MedTech successfully addresses the unique needs and constraints of both governments and clients in SSA with its innovative, non-surgical male circumcision device, PrePex. Its simple yet effective design allays men’s fears about circumcision, drives demand for voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC), and eventually has an enormous impact on the fight against HIV/AIDS in high-risk countries.
Unlike surgical interventions that require stitches and injections, PrePex involves the simple application of a local anaesthetic cream, and the procedure is up to five times faster than surgery. The device is worn for seven days, during which it slowly stops blood circulation to the distal foreskin to dry it out in preparation for bloodless circumcision. The product can be worn under clothes and does not disrupt the wearer’s daily activities.
“Most surgical procedures require a sterile environment, which is often not available in rural or low-resource settings; PrePex only requires a clean environment,” said Frost & Sullivan Best Practices Research Analyst Caeri Dunnell. “A primary care nurse can fit the PrePex device, reducing the burden on doctors or highly-skilled surgical nurses. This non-surgical approach allows governments to take their VMMC campaigns to wider geographic areas.”
PrePex is disposable and affordably priced. It is Class II European Conformity (CE) certified, and a sterile version for adults is cleared by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). PrePex is currently available for males aged 13 and above, and the company is working to ensure VMMC program sustainability in Africa by introducing PrePex infant and child sizes. Ultimately, the company plans to offer PrePex services to all ages, for traditional, cultural and medical male circumcision practices worldwide.
PrePex is considerably more cost-effective than surgical circumcision as it requires markedly fewer personnel, accessories, and facilities for completing the procedure. “Governments prefer PrePex devices for their national VMMC drives because these products ensure scalability of the project,” noted Dunnell.
PrePex is typically rolled out as part of a country’s national HIV prevention campaign, and this ownership by governments gives a huge boost to the product’s uptake. It is currently used in 13 SSA countries as well as in India and Indonesia. Rwanda was the first country to launch the device for its nationwide VMMC program in 2013. Zimbabwe followed suit in 2015, using PrePex in its VMMC program, targeting 1.3 million circumcisions.
The overall value of PrePex in curbing the spread of diseases and encouraging VMMC has rightly earned Circ MedTech the 2016 Sub-Saharan Africa Frost & Sullivan Award for New Product Innovation.
Each year, Frost & Sullivan presents this award to the company that develops an innovative element in a product by leveraging leading-edge technologies. The award recognizes the value-added features/benefits of the product and the increased ROI it offers customers, which, in turn, increases customer acquisition and overall market penetration potential.
Frost & Sullivan’s Best Practices Awards recognize companies in a variety of regional and global markets for outstanding achievement in areas such as leadership, technological innovation, customer service, and product development. Industry analysts compare market participants and measure performance through in-depth interviews, analysis, and extensive secondary research.
About Circ MedTech Ltd.
Circ MedTech is a global social enterprise, offering innovative, affordable and scalable public healthcare solutions. The company developed the unique PrePexTM device to facilitate safe, simple, scalable, cost-effective non-surgical male circumcision as part of a comprehensive HIV prevention plan. For more information visit www.prepex.com or contact: Adi Kadussi, Marketing Director, adik@prepex.com
About Frost & Sullivan
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