Originally published August 6 2005
Portable defibrillators help save lives
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
Portable defibrillators, now available on the market, have been proven to save people's lives before they can reach a hospital.
When Art Garofalo collapsed while working out this spring, health club workers revived him with CPR and a defibrillator that jolted his weakened heart.
These defibrillators for laymen - known as AEDs - don't require a medical degree.
Sudden cardiac arrest is one of the leading causes of death in America, so the potential market is sizeable.
The defibrillators' market potential is unclear since over the counter sales were only approved last year and only for one model; other manufacturers must apply for separate approvals.
But industry experts hope people will see the machines as an important part of a safe home, like a smoke detector.
Philips Home Medical, a division of the Royal Philips Electronics, began over-the-counter sales of AEDs on Amazon.com, Staples.com and other Web sites last year, after receiving the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's approval in September to sell them over the counter.
Before Philips earned the approval, customers needed a prescription to buy the device.
Since last September, Philips has sold more than 6,000 AEDs over the counter at $1,500 each, Packard said, the bulk of them through online sales.
Minneapolis-based Medtronic is focusing on the home market, too, using online sales and a catalog geared toward older men to get its prescription-only AEDs into homes.
Medtronic is also pursuing FDA permission to sell one of its $2,000 models over the counter, said Joyce Szymanski, the company's spokeswoman.
States including New York and Illinois have passed laws requiring AEDs in certain municipal facilities, further driving purchases of the devices by businesses.
For now, Defibritech, a smaller AED manufacturer in Guilford, Conn., remains focused on developing relationships with distributors who can sell machines directly to businesses and municipalities, as well as selling on sites like AEDSuperstore.com.
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