One medical equipment that has been in high demand since the COVID 19 pandemic started raging is ventilators. Countries have scampered to procure more ventilators with manufacturers unable to meet the current demand. A number of manufacturing firms have even ventured into producing emergency gears like facemasks and ventilators. Carmakers, GM and Ford recently ventured into the manufacture of ventilators. 
Fitness tracking wearable manufacturer Fitbit has now announced plans to shift its supply chain resources to manufacture emergency ventilators. The company’s CEO James Park disclosed this to CNBC, stating that the company had expertise around the supply chain already. The move is aimed at boosting the supply of medical devices in the US.
CNBC reports that Fitbit plans to submit the designs for its ventilator to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) under an emergency use authorization in the coming days. An emergency use authorization allows a medical device or product that hasn’t been officially approved by the FDA to be used to treat a life-threatening disease.
Park aims for the ventilators to be the “most advanced” emergency user ventilator available for a “lower” cost, but that a price hasn’t been determined, according to CNBC. Most ventilators cost thousands of dollars, and high-end ones can cost as much at $50,000.
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