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Build Both respirators (low-tech 'iron lungs') to meet ventilator demand

Submitted on Thursday 19th March 2020

Rejected on Wednesday 15th April 2020

Current status: Rejected

Rejection code: irrelevant (see below for details)

Petition Action

Build Both respirators (low-tech 'iron lungs') to meet ventilator demand

Petition Details

During a polio epidemic in the 1930s, Edward Both created a low-cost (under £100), quick-to-make (under 24 hours) ventilator for people with respiratory failure. The next year, the UK built 1,700 of the devices. Some are still in use today.

The UK should mass-manufacture these simple devices.

Additional Information

Unlike modern 'positive-pressure' ventilators, which push air into the lungs through a tube, Both respirators are a kind of iron lung. They are quicker to build and easier for untrained staff to operate than modern ventilators. Iron lungs are used in UK hospitals today.

A low-tech (even manually-operable) bellows induces low pressure around the patient, causing the patient to inhale, then high pressure, causing the patient to exhale.

See more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Both_respirator


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This petition was rejected

The Government e-Petitions Team gave the following reason:

Treatment decisions, including the use of medical devices, is a clincial decision and not one for the Government or Parliament.

You could start a petition calling for the Government to fund research into the use of Both respirators, if that's something you'd like to see happen.

Have your say on this petition!

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