Phoraid Disinfectant and Phoraid Antiseptic were developed in response to an urgent demand from emergency services in the United Kingdom,  on the discovery of Human Immunodeficiency Virus infections (AIDS),  and a growing Health and Safety awareness of communicable diseases such as Hepatitis B.

In the mid 1980’s at the time of the UK prison officer’s ‘go slow’ strike,  a leading police authority commissioned Smyth-Morris Chemicals to develop a product that could be applied safely to disinfect holding cells in the local police stations.  The cells were used to accommodate prisoners whom could not be sent to the main prisons and the authority also wanted to protect their officers in areas which could be contaminated by infected blood and other body fluids,  such as scenes of accidents and violent arrests.

After developments by Smyth-Morris  Phoraid was tested and approved by the John Radcliffe Hospital-Virology Laboratory-Oxford,  The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicines,   The University of Manchester Department of Bacteriology & Virology,  plus the British Ministry of Agriculture – Central Veterinary Laboratory,   and became so successful with the Emergency Services that it was decided to extend testing and approval to world-wide standards in order to make it acceptable on the world market in Hospitals,  Research Laboratories,  Dental Clinics,  Schools and Veterinary Practices.    Following which the product was then tested by the University Louis Pasteur Faculte of Strasbourg to meet EEC regulations.