UK Rejects Ventilators Endorsed By Formula 1 To Assist In Fight Against COVID-19

Formula 1's Project Pit-lane to buy 20,000 ventilators from a group including Renault and Red Bull has been canceled.

With the assistance of Formula 1, the seven teams and their technology were working collaboratively to respond to the British government's request in the creation of medical devices.

The NHS needs to increase the stock of ventilators to 18,000, at least. The government has been massing enough resources in time for the peak of cases expected month's end.

The effort to source these ventilators involved the enlisting of UK manufacturers, importing the devices from overseas, and even borrowing them.

The Cabinet Office confirmed that a provisional request for thousands of one model known as BlueSky would not go ahead, considering the clinicians thought the device was not sophisticated enough to treat COVID-19 cases.

The devices had not been formally ordered or paid for as they had not yet gotten regulatory approval.

Though the BlueSky machine can provide ventilation for patients, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, and the clinicians from the technical design authority found that it was not able to treat coronavirus cases effectively.

The reason is fluids may build up in the lungs of COVID-19 patients faster than it would in patients suffering from other diseases.

The devices have to be switched to another setting while the lungs of the patient are being cleared. The BlueSky device does not allow for this flexibility.

Formula 1 teams and other auto companies have dedicated themselves to assisting with the fight against the spread of the virus.

The Mercedes Brixworth engine facility has been repurposed to help in producing Continuous Positive Airway Pressure breathing aids.

Orders have increased from hospitals and the government, so 40 machines from the plant have been rededicated to medical items.

A spokesperson from Formula 1 stated that Aston Martin and Red Bull had shown a lot of dedication and skill throughout the project.

It was said they need to feel proud of the work they have undertaken to develop a new device with an NHS entrepreneur.

It was said though that people are still testing these things in clinical trials, and the understanding of officials is evolving every day, so that would be part of why the solution is taking longer.

Other prototypes are also being reviewed for approval. One made by Penlon with backing from Airbus and Rolls Royce is expected to win approval because it only varies slightly from the ones which have already been approved.