eNews March 31, 2026

The latest news affecting you and your customers… from the Independent Medical Specialty Dealers Association

COVID-19 briefs for the medical specialty community

Tesla will make Medtronic ventilators at New York factory (Mar 30)

Veterinary practices donate PPE and other medical supplies: American Veterinary Medical Association

FDA expands emergency use authorization (EAU) for non-NIOSH-approved disposable filtering facepiece equipment as well as NIOSH-approved air purifying respirators. (Mar 28)

Battelle announces it has begun manufacturing a system to decontaminate N95 respirator masks and other medical protective equipment (Mar 28)

Trump orders General Motors to manufacture ventilators under Defense Production Act (Mar 27)

Eighty five percent of mayors report lacking an adequate supply of ventilators, according to survey of 164 members of the U.S. Conference of Mayors.

The FDA issued an Emergency Use Authorization (EAU) to allow for the emergency use of certain ventilators, anesthesia gas machines modified for use as ventilators, and positive pressure breathing devices modified for use as ventilators (collectively referred to as “ventilators”), ventilator tubing connectors and accessories. (Mar 27)

The limited supply of ventilators is one of the chief concerns facing hospitals as they prepare for more COVID-19 cases. In the U.S., emergency plans developed by states for a shortage of ventilators include using positive airway pressure machines — like those used to treat sleep apnea — to help hospitalized people with less severe breathing issues. While that measure could stretch the supply of ventilators and save lives, it has a major drawback. Officials and scientists have known for years that when used with a face mask such alternative devices can possibly increase the spread of infectious disease by aerosolizing the virus, whether used in the hospital or at home. Read more.