The European Tissue Symposium sponsored scientific panels on hygienic hand drying with eminent microbiologists and hospital hygienists from across Europe at the Catholic University of Leuven on 20 March 2013, on 11 June 2014 and on 14 April 2015. Panelists were asked to review the science on hand drying and the hygienic performance of hand drying devices, such as paper towels, textile towels, and hot air dryers, and to make recommendations for future scientific research and public policy.
Initially, the panel consisted of the following six European Scientists:
Professor Silvio Brusaferro (Italy),
Dr. Ralf Kämmerer (Germany),
Professor Bertil Kaijser (Sweden),
Keith Redway (the United Kingdom),
Professor Marc Van Ranst (Belgium),
Professor Mark Wilcox (the United Kingdom)
During the panel meetings the experts prepared a Consensus Statement on hygienic hand drying, the document can be accessed here: Consensus Statement
The activities of the Panel of Experts, from June 2015 include new members from France (Dr Frédéric Barbut) and Spain ( Dr Angel Asensio) are continuing and further studies are being conducted by the most authoritative Universities in this field of study.
