Over Counter AED Sales Challenged

SALF, July 19, 2004

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During an interview by Wall Street Journal reporter Mary Kissel, Carol Spizzirri, Save A Life Foundation President/Founder was questioned on the possibility of having Automatic External Defibrillators available for over the counter sale. This issue is being considered at a committee hearing on July 28th and 29th in Gaithersburg by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) http://www.salf.org/media/news/2004_07/wsj.aspx.

"Although AED's are a valuable tool in the resuscitation of lives, they should be lower in cost and more available. They should be managed by the medical community, so a fear factor is not created in purchasing them without an educational component in CPR and their use, including the general maintenance of the units so they work when need, with regular practice to create a comfort level by the user. Lastly, it is important to redefine the Good Samaritan Law and promote it, at the national level, to protect individuals against frivolous law suits," Spizzirri stated

The reporter there after contacted SALF Board member Mark Mitchell, D.O., St. Joseph Hospital Medical Center, Milwaukee, WI, who concurred with Spizzirri's statement and added, "that with out the appropriate training, citizens will feel uncomfortable in the application of these units, even in a life threatening emergency."