Senator Collins Visits Abbott in Scarborough
Scarborough, ME – U.S. Senator Susan Collins, the Chairman of the Aging Committee, visited Abbott in Scarborough, which manufactures many of the rapid influenza tests that are administered throughout the flu season. Senator Collins toured the facility and spoke with dozens of employees. She also met with members of the company’s leadership team to discuss how the Scarborough plant worked to meet demand for flu tests due to the spike in seasonal flu in 2017-18 and how the tests it produces help to combat the public health problem of antibiotic resistance.
“I was delighted to tour Abbott’s Scarborough facility and meet with employees who are manufacturing the next generation of flu testing right here in Maine,” said Senator Collins. “These innovative tools can help medical professionals quickly diagnose the flu so that they can treat this illness that can be life threatening for vulnerable populations.”
“It was an honor to host Senator Collins and show her how a new generation of flu tests is being built here in Scarborough, providing fast, lab-accurate results at the point of care,” said Jeff Haas, Vice President for Infectious Disease, Rapid Diagnostics, Abbott. “These tests help healthcare providers in every community more confidently and accurately diagnose flu and other respiratory illnesses, which help keep communities active and healthy, workplaces more productive, and promote good prescribing habits for antibiotic stewardship.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that influenza has resulted in between 9.2 million and 35.6 million illnesses, between 140,000 and 710,000 hospitalizations, and between 12,000 and 56,000 deaths annually since 2010.
About Abbott
Abbott is committed to helping people live their best possible life through the power of health. For more than 125 years, it has brought new products and technologies to the world -- in nutrition, diagnostics, medical devices and branded generic pharmaceuticals -- that create more possibilities for more people at all stages of life. Today, the company employs 99,000 individuals in the more than 150 countries.
