The FDA granted emergency use authorization April 30 to a ventilator designed by NASA that is tailored specifically to COVID-19 patients.
The device is called the NASA VITAL, which stands for Ventilator Intervention Technology Accessible Locally. It is made from supplies that aren't typically used to make ventilators, so it doesn't take away from supplies needed to make traditional hospital ventilators.
NASA's ventilator is designed to last for three to four months and is tailored specifically to COVID-19 by providing respiratory support for patients with respiratory failure or insufficiency. Traditional hospital ventilators can last years and are built to address a broader range of medical issues.
Read the full news release here.