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Prisma Health and J&J supply 3D printed VESper ventilator splitter at no cost to healthcare providers AM Industry

Prisma Health is collaborating with Ethicon Inc., part of the Johnson & Johnson Medical Devices Companies, to make and distribute a ventilator expansion device, called the VESper™ Ventilator Expansion Splitter. The VESper Ventilator Expansion Splitter is authorized for emergency use only to allow a single ventilator to be fitted with the Ventilator Splitter to be used for two rescuable patients for ventilatory support during the COVID-19 pandemic until individual ventilators are available.

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Neurophotometrics and Markforged producing 10,000 3D printed nasal swabs a day AM Industry

Massachusetts-based 3D printing company Markforged has just announced a partnership with optical equipment provider Neurophotometrics (NPM) to produce 3D printed nasopharyngeal swabs for COVID-19 diagnostic testing. The swab design, called Fiberflex Rayon, reportedly detected the virus in all patients tested, while commercial swabs reported false negatives. Markforged says it is now producing 10,000 nasal swabs per day and plans to scale production up to 100,000 per day.

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How 3D printed nasal swabs could support widespread COVID-19 testing AM Industry

As has quickly become apparent in the fight against COVID-19, one of the critical factors in stemming the spread of the virus and understanding its reach is widespread testing. The World Health Organization (WHO) has promoted testing in its guidance to governments, but on the ground many countries have struggled to scale up testing operations to the point required. One of the key inhibitors to adopting more broad testing is a lack of supplies, including test kits and personal protective equipment for healthcare workers.