3 ms·

This is a systematic problem with crony capitalism. It will always be with us so long as lobbying and corporate campaign donations are a thing.

• kevin_thibedeau 7y ago
  Fingers crossed that all the shenanigans preventing cheap ventilators coming to market will force some regulatory action.
  • Godel_unicode 7y ago
    By shenanigans, do you perhaps mean the rigorous testing regime applied to a device which will literally be putting the air in your lungs while you're unconscious?? I for one am super happy that people with this attitude have been totally unable to penetrate the medical devices field!
    • kevin_thibedeau 7y ago
      You might want to read about the sort of malfeasance that has put us in this situation: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/29/business/coronavirus-us-ventilator-shortage.html https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/29/business/coronavirus-us-v... TLDR: A $3000 ventilator was “on schedule to file for market approval in September 2013” and then Covidien bought out the competition to prevent it coming to fruition.
      • Godel_unicode 7y ago
        Covidien at the time already sold a $5000 portable ventilator, which was never rejected by the FDA. The prospective Newport ventilator was rejected for neonatal use, which was a requirement of their BARDA contract.
  • simonh 7y ago
    A badly made ventilator can kill you a lot faster than the virus.