Philips Respironics to develop vent for gov't
By HME News Staff
Updated Tue September 23, 2014
MURRYSVILLE, Pa. - Philips Respironics has snagged a three-year, $13.8 million contract to develop a next-generation portable ventilator for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
The ventilator will help fill the need for portable, low-cost, user-friendly and flexible ventilators in a pandemic or other public health emergencies, according to a Sept. 17 press release from HHS.
“An affordable portable ventilator will help us meet the needs of critically ill patients during a public health emergency, whether due to a naturally occurring pandemic or an act of bioterrorism,” stated Robin Robinson, director of the Biomedical Advanced Research Institute and Development Authority, which will over see the project.
Per the contract, Philips Respironics must develop a ventilator that will meet the needs of everyone from infants to the elderly. It must also be low cost: Currently, ventilators with all the required features cost anywhere from $6,000 to $30,000 per unit.
The contract includes an option for HHS to purchase 10,000 completely kitted, initial production ventilators from Philips Respironics for $32.8 million.
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