An article in FT Weekend on 18 April 2020, 'Muddled thinking punctures plan for British ventilator', includes multiple inaccurate and misleading claims about the UK's work to procure and manufacture ventilators in response to the COVID-19 public health emergency.
An opinion thread on Twitter by one of the article's authors contains further inaccurate claims and assertions.
A detailed rebuttal of the article and the associated Twitter thread can be found below.
First of all, the Government wishes to pay tribute to the manufacturers who, in just four weeks, have provided vital additional ventilators for patients at unprecedented speed, to the businesses and others who have responded to the Ventilator Challenge, working tirelessly, and to the public for staying at home, playing their part in protecting the NHS and saving lives.
The Government's strategy to increase ventilator capacity has always focused on three pillars: first, procuring more devices from existing manufacturers overseas; second, scaling up production of existing ventilator suppliers, and third, working with industry to design and manufacture new devices. It has also involved seeking specialist support in other areas including logistics, component and peripheral procurement, and technical expertise.
While during the course of this public health emergency the NHS has had spare ventilator capacity for Covid-19 patients, scientific modelling nonetheless suggested an urgent need for further capacity still. In response, and alongside wider work, the Ventilator Challenge was launched.
At present, two devices from the Ventilator Challenge are ready for use in hospitals, with the Penlon ESO2 device this week becoming the first newly-adapted device to receive approval from the regulator, the MHRA. A number of other devices are currently undergoing tests for regulatory approval.
The Cabinet Office has previously corrected inaccurate claims made by FT Weekend: our earlier response can be found here
Detailed rebuttal of claims made in the FT and on
