NAD Takes Action to Support the Manufacture of Clear Surgical Masks

The Kimberly-Clark Corporation holds the patent for surgical masks used by medical personnel to be made in a transparent material. Being able to see the entire faces of medical personnel will not only benefit doctors, nurses and other professionals who are deaf or hard of hearing, but will also benefit patients who rely on visual cues for communication or reassurance. The NAD sent the letter below to support the manufacture of this product.

Susan Anderson
Director of Marketing for Clear Surgical Masks
Kimberly-Clark Corporation
1400 Holcomb Bridge Road
Roswell, GA 30076

Dear Ms. Anderson:

At the request of the Association of Medical Professionals with Hearing Losses, I am writing to urge Kimberly-Clark to take action with respect to Patent Number 5,561,863, the clear surgical mask.

The National Association of the Deaf, established in 1880, is the nation’s largest consumer organization advocating on behalf of 28 million deaf and hard of hearing Americans. Our members include doctors, veterinarians, nurses, anesthesiologists and above all, patients. Access to healthcare is an issue of critical importance to our members.

We understand that Kimberly-Clark holds the patent for the clear surgical mask until 2013. This surgical mask would be of great benefit for many of our members. For medical professionals who are deaf and hard of hearing, the clear surgical mask promotes communication under the most critical of circumstances. In addition, the mask promises substantial benefit to medical consumers who rely on speechreading and facial cues to communicate.

Given the urgent need of the medical community and medical consumers, we encourage Kimberly-Clark to begin manufacture of the clear surgical mask. In the alternative, we ask that Kimberly-Clark sell Patent Number 5,561,863, or otherwise release the patent so that another company can begin production.

Sincerely,

Nancy Bloch
Executive Director

cc: Association of Medical Professionals with Hearing Losses
    spacer
SEARCH NAD.ORG