CatoCooper13
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09:37 AEST Fri Jul 16 2004
AP - First it was everything from dish soap to toothbrushes that promised protection against bacteria. Now the maker of Kleenex plans a tissue that kills viruses.
Kimberly-Clark Corp said that its newest product would be on US store shelves in time for the winter cold and flu season.
The consumer-goods giant has been working on an anti-viral tissue for several years, and company officials believe they've got a winner in Kleenex anti-viral. Their optimism is rooted in the huge success of anti-bacterial products.
"The consumers immediately understand the benefits. It's very intuitive," said Steve Erb, who manages the Kleenex brand.
The tissue serves no direct benefit to the person using it to blow his nose - and who already has a cold or the flu. Kimberly-Clark, it might seem, is counting on consumers' altruism - their desire to spare others from getting sick.
"We're not curing the common cold or the flu," Erb said.
"We're hoping to reduce the amount of the virus that gets spread. Coughs and sneezes contain plenty of yucky stuff."
Kimberly-Clark hopes the tissue will build on the success of anti-bacterial products, which range from soaps and laundry detergents to hand gels and toys used in daycare centres.
Once used only in hospitals and doctors' offices, anti-bacterial soaps are now a multi-billion dollar business, dominating the US market for liquid soaps.
The success of anti-bacterial products has raised some controversy, however. The American Medical Association expressed concern that their widespread use could help spawn strains of resistant bacteria.
An AMA trustee, Dr Ron Davis, said he had the same concern about the anti-viral Kleenex.
"All of the hypothetical benefits have to be balanced against possible harm to public health, which may be the increasing resistance of microorganisms to medications," said Davis, who wanted to see more details about the tissue's effectiveness at killing viruses.
Kimberly-Clark said the new tissue would be in US stores by October.
The Irving, Texas-based company plans a $US30 million ($A41.51 million) promotional blitz in the first year, including television, radio and print advertising and coupons.
The product would be more expensive per sheet than Kleenex's top-line tissues. A cube-shaped box of 60 tissues would cost $US1.39 ($A1.92), and a box of 120 $US1.99 ($A2.75).
©AAP 2004
AP - First it was everything from dish soap to toothbrushes that promised protection against bacteria. Now the maker of Kleenex plans a tissue that kills viruses.
Kimberly-Clark Corp said that its newest product would be on US store shelves in time for the winter cold and flu season.
The consumer-goods giant has been working on an anti-viral tissue for several years, and company officials believe they've got a winner in Kleenex anti-viral. Their optimism is rooted in the huge success of anti-bacterial products.
"The consumers immediately understand the benefits. It's very intuitive," said Steve Erb, who manages the Kleenex brand.
The tissue serves no direct benefit to the person using it to blow his nose - and who already has a cold or the flu. Kimberly-Clark, it might seem, is counting on consumers' altruism - their desire to spare others from getting sick.
"We're not curing the common cold or the flu," Erb said.
"We're hoping to reduce the amount of the virus that gets spread. Coughs and sneezes contain plenty of yucky stuff."
Kimberly-Clark hopes the tissue will build on the success of anti-bacterial products, which range from soaps and laundry detergents to hand gels and toys used in daycare centres.
Once used only in hospitals and doctors' offices, anti-bacterial soaps are now a multi-billion dollar business, dominating the US market for liquid soaps.
The success of anti-bacterial products has raised some controversy, however. The American Medical Association expressed concern that their widespread use could help spawn strains of resistant bacteria.
An AMA trustee, Dr Ron Davis, said he had the same concern about the anti-viral Kleenex.
"All of the hypothetical benefits have to be balanced against possible harm to public health, which may be the increasing resistance of microorganisms to medications," said Davis, who wanted to see more details about the tissue's effectiveness at killing viruses.
Kimberly-Clark said the new tissue would be in US stores by October.
The Irving, Texas-based company plans a $US30 million ($A41.51 million) promotional blitz in the first year, including television, radio and print advertising and coupons.
The product would be more expensive per sheet than Kleenex's top-line tissues. A cube-shaped box of 60 tissues would cost $US1.39 ($A1.92), and a box of 120 $US1.99 ($A2.75).
©AAP 2004
Hmmm...makes me wonder if one day they'll come up with anti-viral gloves we'll better protect ourselves from the common cold while we're venturing out to places.... 
(that's besides the latex gloves already in place and being used...)