The UK medicines regulator has approved the first new ventilator design, following government calls for engineers to create the devices for patients with Covid-19.
The government has put in 15,000 orders for the device, produced by Oxford-based firm Penlon in collaboration with Formula One racing teams, Ford and Siemens.
The first units of Penlon’s Prima ES02 model will ship today, with 40 heading to a Ministry of Defence base for delivery to hospitals.
Several new devices are still awaiting approval: a report in the Times yesterday suggested at least ten ventilators were under review by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency.
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