Sign up for our daily briefing
Make your busy days simpler with Axios AM/PM. Catch up on what's new and why it matters in just 5 minutes.
Stay on top of the latest market trends
Subscribe to Axios Markets for the latest market trends and economic insights. Sign up for free.
Sports news worthy of your time
Binge on the stats and stories that drive the sports world with Axios Sports. Sign up for free.
Tech news worthy of your time
Get our smart take on technology from the Valley and D.C. with Axios Login. Sign up for free.
Get the inside stories
Get an insider's guide to the new White House with Axios Sneak Peek. Sign up for free.
Catch up on coronavirus stories and special reports, curated by Mike Allen everyday
Catch up on coronavirus stories and special reports, curated by Mike Allen everyday
Want a daily digest of the top Denver news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Denver
Want a daily digest of the top Des Moines news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Des Moines
Want a daily digest of the top Twin Cities news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Twin Cities
Want a daily digest of the top Tampa Bay news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Tampa Bay
Want a daily digest of the top Charlotte news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Charlotte
A medical worker handling a coronavirus test in Charlestown, Massachusetts, on Aug. 11. Photo: Matt Stone/ MediaNews Group/Boston Herald
The Food and Drug Administration on Friday released its first-ever list of medical devices needed to respond to the coronavirus that are in short supply.
Why it matters: The list includes surgical gowns, gloves, masks, certain ventilators and testing supplies that medical workers require to effectively respond to the pandemic, which has infected more than 5.3 million people in the U.S. to date, according to Johns Hopkins University.
Context: The CARES Act, signed into law in late March, requires the FDA maintain a publicly available, up-to-date list of equipment determined to be in shortage during a public health emergency.
What they're saying: "The FDA continues to monitor the healthcare landscape and supply chain for resulting shortages, or meaningful disruptions to U.S. supply, of certain medical devices."
- "During the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE), the FDA has taken many actions to help ensure that patients and health care providers have timely and continued access to high-quality medical devices to respond effectively to the COVID-19 public health emergency."
The big picture: The FDA added multiple products used to test for the virus onto the list, including sterile swabs needed for sample collections and supplies needed to transport samples.
- The FDA did not disclose the manufacturers of any devices on the list after determining that doing so could increase "the potential for hoarding or other disruptions in device availability to patients."
Go deeper: We're doing a lot less coronavirus testing