SC Johnson Secures World Health Organization Policy Recommendation for Innovative Tool Proven to Help Prevent Malaria and Other Insect-borne Diseases

Spatial repellents are tools that, when used, release an active ingredient which repels mosquitoes from a room, preventing mosquitoes from biting people and ultimately lessening the transmission of disease. They can be hung in semi-enclosed spaces, including homes and schools, and are about the size of a sheet of paper. They are easy to use, low-cost, long-lasting and effective. Spatial repellents are tools that, when used, release an active ingredient which repels mosquitoes from a room,...

Spatial repellents are tools that, when used, release an active ingredient which repels mosquitoes from a room, preventing mosquitoes from biting people and ultimately lessening the transmission of disease. They can be hung in semi-enclosed spaces, including homes and schools, and are about the size of a sheet of paper. They are easy to use, low-cost, long-lasting and effective.

Already, SC Johnson has been distributing, implementing and educating about the important role of spatial repellents in humanitarian settings and working with global public health partners such as The MENTOR Initiative, Society for Family Health Rwanda, United to Beat Malaria and Ministries of Health of several countries. The WHO's approval bolsters the ability for the company to strengthen confidence in these tools and work even more closely with global public health partners and country governments to get spatial repellents in the hands of more people to help save and improve lives.

In addition, the WHO has given prequalification listings for Guardian and Mosquito Shield spatial repellents, naming them specifically as recommended insect-borne disease prevention tools and signaling their ability to be procured through different channels. While SC Johnson partners have already been deploying and using these tools, the prequalification listings demonstrate further their safety, quality and efficacy.

"There are over a billion people that would benefit from the SC Johnson Guardian™ and SC Johnson Mosquito Shield™ spatial repellents," said Richard Allan, CEO of The MENTOR Initiative. "People want a tool that works for how they live. Frankly, these are the first tools I've seen in 36 years that have the promise of doing that. These could be a real game changer."

Spatial repellents are one of the first new categories of vector control tools to receive a policy recommendation from the WHO for malaria prevention within the last 25 years. This recommendation will help reach and protect even more families from disease who may not have access to other interventions.  

In order to receive a policy recommendation and prequalification listing, the WHO requires ample proof of efficacy, safety and quality. Over the years, SC Johnson has worked with Unitaid and The Gates Foundation to conduct and fund thorough clinical trials of its spatial repellents. Clinical trials have shown that proper use of spatial repellents can reduce risk of disease by up to 33 percent, with Guardian able to provide protection for up to one year. Trials have been conducted in Indonesia, Peru and Kenya, which offered promising results to help secure the recommendation, and the company continues to test their tools to ensure efficacy.

Earlier this year, SC Johnson opened two high-speed manufacturing lines to produce its Guardian spatial repellent at the company's plant in Nairobi, Kenya. At capacity, these new lines will be able to produce up to 20 million units annually. Early next year, the company plans to open a new line at its plant in Pilar, Argentina, to manufacture Guardian, which will produce another 20 million units annually, reaching 20 million people.

Since 2013, SC Johnson has reached more than 110 million people via public health initiatives, education tools and distributing life-saving repellents in the fight against insect-borne disease.

Learn more about what SC Johnson is doing in the fight against malaria and other insect-borne diseases here. 

ABOUT SC JOHNSON
Founded in 1886 and headquartered in Racine, Wisconsin USA, SC Johnson believes that a more sustainable, healthier and transparent world that inspires people and creates opportunities isn't just possible – it's our responsibility.

A heritage of innovation and bold, transparent decisions is why our high-quality products and iconic brands – including OFF!^®, Raid^®, Glade^®, Windex^®, Scrubbing Bubbles^®, Ziploc^®, Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day^®, method^®, Autan^®, Baygon^®, Mr Muscle^®, Duck^®, Lysoform^® and more – are in homes, schools and businesses in virtually every country worldwide.

As a global, purpose-led company, we are committed to making the world a better place today and for future generations. That means relentlessly bringing our expertise in science, innovation and partnerships to bear on some of the world's most pressing environmental and health issues like reducing plastic waste and eradicating malaria. Around the world, we use our resources to unlock greater economic and educational opportunities for people and communities where access may be limited, but curiosity and potential are limitless.

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