Movie inspires blood-clotting product

Blood-spattered movie scenes have put the selling of lifesaving wound care in the sights of a Masterton entrepreneur and trainee nurse.
Jono Stevenson, trading as PHEC Enterprises, is in his fourth year of training to become a registered nurse while also studying towards a bachelor of nursing and last year watched a movie, Shooter, in which a bullet-riddled sharpshooter saves his own life using an emergency blood-clotting powder.
"It's one of my favourite movies I've lost count of how many times I've seen it but at least a dozen and when he put powder granules into his wounds to stop the bleeding, I got really curious and wanted to find out about the product."
His inquiries led him to an American company and their product, QuikClot, which is a hemostatic sponge and zeolite granules packed in sterile surgical mesh designed to mold into severe wounds to control potentially fatal bleeding en route to a hospital.
Mr Stevenson formed PHEC Enterprises in April to allow him to import and sell the product and has since "discovered the enormous potential of QuikClot to save lives in many various circumstances".
"There's QuikClot sports that could be used at home but I'm hoping to supply commercial versions to organisations like the military, emergency services, motorcyclists and motor-sports enthusiasts and people like loggers or hunters.
"I ride a 1000cc motorbike myself and carry QuikClot under my seat at all times, just in case," he said.
"People have saved their limbs and their lives with QuikClot. It stops them bleeding out and they're able to be re-infused with blood 15 minutes later without any drop in blood pressure."
Mr Stevenson said the QuikClot can already be bought online but he hopes to market and sell QuikClot ACS and QuikClot 1st Response and is waiting on approvals from the Ministry of Health and MedSafe before hitting the market.
Mr Stevenson is also developing a "first response" kit for domestic and professional use that will include QuikClot alongside cohesive bandages.
Mr Stevenson started his nursing career after first working as a porter at the former Masterton Hospital, he said. He is now in his fourth year of training toward his registration as a nurse and has also nursed for two years in Invercargill.
n Mr Stevenson has also taken his business idea online and more information is available about PHEC (pre hospital emergency care) Enterprises and QuikClot at www.phec-enterprises.co.nz