Public access defibrillators
This article was originally published in The Gray Sheet
Executive Summary
HR 3462, the Community Access to Emergency Defibrillation Act of 2001 (Community AED Act) is introduced in the House Dec. 12 by Reps. Lois Capps (D-Calif.) and John Shimkus (R-Ill.). The bill authorizes more than $55 mil. a year for five years for communities to purchase automatic external defibrillators and to establish public access to defibrillation (PAD) programs. The measure is identical to S 1275, which was introduced July 31 by Sens. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) and Bill Frist (R-Tenn.). Staffers are cautiously optimistic that the bill could be hotlined for floor consideration in the next few weeks. AED manufacturer Medtronic VP-Corporate Controller Gary Ellis notes that its LifePak system direct-to-consumer advertising has helped to build awareness of the condition and its risk factors...