NASA, Fitbit get FDA approval for ventilators designed to help COVID-19 patients

US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has given emergency use authorisation (EUA) to ventilator and resuscitator developed by NASA and Fitbit respectively. federal ncy added a second ventilator developed by NASA to list of authorized ventilators, ventilator tubing connectors and ventilator accessories under EUA.

expedited approval has been issued due to insufficient supply and availability of FDA-cleared ventilators for use in health care facilities to treat COVID-19 patients. According to FDA, NASA’s VITAL (Ventilator Intervention Techlogy Accessible Locally) is intended to last three to four months and is specifically tailored to provide respiratory support for COVID-19 patients.

first NASA ventilator, approved on April 30, relied on wall gas as pressure source while second ventilator uses an internal compressor for its energy source. device does t impact existing supply chain since it is designed to be built with components outside current medical device supply chain.

“ VITAL Compressor ventilator is a restricted medical device intended for use by qualified healthcare provider who understands functionality of device operating under direction of a physician,” reads an FDA document.

Read: Donald Trump Speaks To PM Modi, Says 'US To Ship 100 Donated Ventilators By Next Week'

Fitbit Flow

emergency resuscitator developed by Fitbit is an accessory with audible and visual alarms that aid performance of manual resuscitator for continuous breathing. design is intended for use in treating patients with COVID-19. Fitbit Flow supports conventional Volume Control and Pressure Control modes of ventilation, as well as an “Assist Control” feature to support breaths triggered by patient. 

Meanwhile, US State Department anunced that three Indian companies have been given licenses by  NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Sourn California for manufacturing new ventilator that uses one-seventh parts of a traditional ventilator, designed for coronavirus patients. three companies selected are Alpha Design Techlogies, Bharat Forge and Medha Servo Drives.

Read: Four-member Panel To Probe Alleged Irregularities In Purchase Of Ventilators In Himachal

(Im Credit: NASA)