Choking is one of the leading causes of accidental death in adults over the age of 65 and children under 5 years old. Recently, a child in my community passed away from choking on a sausage at nursery. This death was potentially preventable if the nursery had a LifeVac.

LifeVac is a non-invasive airway clearance device developed to remove an obstruction when someone is choking. It has a valve that uses a one-way suction to unblock the particle that the person to choking on.

Suction isn't a new thing in the medical world. It has been used for many years in Immediate and Advanced Life Support and is a proven method. LifeVac has more evidence/proof than any other suction device/airway clearance device available on the market.

It's very easy to use. So much so, you don't need to be a trained first aider to understand how it works. And it should be available when BLS (Basic Life Support) fails. 

Standard choking BLS, in a perfect environment (such as in a hospital or with an advanced trained first aider), is only about 70% effective.....and just to reiterate, that's in a perfect environment. 

Furthermore, the thought of having to carry out choking BLS is frightening. Back slaps and chest compressions (administered generally to someone you know) to try and clear their airway, would be a horrifying experience.

And if it doesn't work, every second counts when you're waiting for the Emergency Services to arrive. 

So to me, it makes sense, in the same way every house has a fire blanket, every office has a fire extinguisher and every car has a first aid kit.....EVERY home, school or nursery should have the CHOICE to have a LifeVac

At this stage, I want to be noted that I am in no way affiliated to LifeVac. However, I do want one of these for my home. I want to buy one for my child's nursery. BUT......although this is approved to use in most other countries in the world including the USA, Canada and Spain, the MHRA still haven't approved LiveVac in the UK for the general public to use.......so far the wait has been 3.5 years.

LifeVac saved its first life in the UK in 2016 when, at the time, they were able to sell to the general public. As a result of this incredible feat (something that should have been celebrated), a "blogger" reported them to the MHRA who made contact with LifeVac and advised they were looking into their registrations.

A year later in 2017, the MHRA took their registrations away to "review", which stopped them being able to save more lives in the UK.

SIx months later, they got their registration back with conditions that they were only allowed to sell to Healthcare professionals, Care Homes, not to be used on children in the UK or in public places and only to places where EMS cannot reach in a timely manner.

The MHRA said these restrictions would be in place until LifeVac can prove the efficacy of their device even more than they already had, essentially stopping people being saved in a choking emergency when all else fails.

LifeVac has kept in contact with the MHRA over the past 3 years providing more and more data, medical papers, independent medical publications and a complete PMCF report (required by ALL medical device manufacturers)  on ALL of its usages which now total over a 100 lives being saved with NO ADVERSE effects.

After multiple meetings and asking what more evidence does the MHRA want to see, they still have not given an answer, whilst people including children carry on dying from choking when LifeVac could have helped.

LifeVac has saved over 35 children from choking to death when BLS has failed. One of those lives was an 11-month-old little boy called Oscar Temperton, who choked on chopped up tuna and pasta. His father was a care home worker and had a LifeVac at home. This amazing feat was reported to the MHRA but once again, instead of this Lifevac receiving a welcomed response for saving their first child in the UK, they got a "slap on the hand" instead. 

The MHRA has had 3 years to "work with" LifeVac, but instead have stalled, been uncooperative, haven't researched any information/data given and given excuse after excuse.

We are living in horrible times. Personally, I am delighted that the MHRA have managed to approve a complex vaccine for COVID within a few short months.

But why has it taken more than 3 years to not provide a decision on such a simple product such as LifeVac?

People are dying from choking in the UK, while LifeVac is freely available to the general public in Europe, America and the rest of the world-saving lives every week.

I know the government and MHRA have had a terrible year, but please, Mr Hancock, let's get this approved and let's start saving even more lives.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibE0sjtbLpY