Ventilator maker offers up IP to tackle shortage

UK engineering company Smiths Group is making the IP covering one of its ventilators available to other manufacturers, as part of an industry attempt to tackle the shortage of life-saving equipment.

Last week, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson called on manufacturers to switch their production lines to address the ventilator shortage amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

On Saturday, March 21, Smiths  announced that it would be providing IP and technical advice, and making its paraPAC plus ventilator to a consortium. The consortium is working to deliver the UK government’s target of 30,000 ventilators.

In addition to offering up its IP, Smiths is significantly ramping up its own production to meet increased demand from the UK and across Europe.

According to the company, it is helping the UK government deliver its ambitious plan of 5,000 additional ventilators within two weeks, with the intention to scale availability to 30,000 over the coming months.

Smiths is also increasing the production of specialist ventilator hoses through its Flex-Tek division in South Carolina, US, for a number of ventilator manufacturers across the world.

Andrew Reynolds Smith, CEO of Smiths, said: “During this time of national and global crisis it is our duty to assist in the efforts being made to tackle this devastating pandemic and I have been inspired by the hard work undertaken by our employees to achieve this aim.”

Last week, sister site WIPR reported on the potential IP implications of an increase in ventilator production, including whether the rarely-invoked crown use exemption will come into play.

Richard Fawcett, senior associate at Powell Gilbert, has also outlined why the UK patent system poses no obstacle to the UK government’s rallying call for ventilator production. Click  here to read more.

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