WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has relaxed the rules regarding the use of medical gas containers in order to help increase number of portable cryogenic oxygen and nitrogen containers available for hospitals in the fight against COVID-19.
FDA has approved temporary use of certain gas containers for oxygen and nitrogen intended for medical use for the duration of the public health emergency.
'The demand for these critical medical gases is expected to rise during the pandemic and may result in a shortfall of portable cryogenic medical gas containers that meet regulatory requirements,' the agency said.
The FDA said it will not take andy enforcement action against companies that use containers that 'do not comply with certain regulatory requirements, provided that alternative, specific safeguards are in place to prevent gas mix-ups,' it said.
The U.S. continues its battle with COVID-19 pandemic. In the country, at least 16,686 people have died and about 466,299 total confirmed cases have been reported.
Globally, nearly 1,479,168 cases have been confirmed with 87,987 deaths confirmed.
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