The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced the publication of a medical device shortages list to help bring greater transparency regarding the availability of critical medical devices during the current pandemic.
Posted to the FDA’s website last week, the device shortage list identifies more than 20 different medical devices for which limited supplies are currently available. The list includes a variety of ventilators and ventilator systems, specimen collection systems and devices, and personal protective equipment. The FDA says that it intends to continually update its device shortages list for the duration of the COVID-19 public health emergency.
The FDA cautions that the listing of a given device on the device shortages list does not necessarily indicate that patient care has been impacted by the shortage. However, it is publishing the device shortages list is part of its broader effort to “ensure that patients and health care providers have timely and continued access to high-quality medical devices.”
