Press Release

Ventilators for Canadians Receives Health Canada Approval for COVID-19 Ventilators

June 17, 2020

TORONTO – June 17, 2020 – Ventilators for Canadians (V4C), a consortium of Canadian entrepreneurs, is pleased to announce the achievement of Health Canada approval for the Baylis V4C-560 ventilator.

The Baylis V4C-560 ventilator, manufactured in partnership with FTI Professional Grade Inc. (FTI), and Baylis Medical, is part of the order commissioned by the Government of Canada in support of Canadian patients impacted by COVID-19. Since the April announcement, V4C, FTI and Baylis Medical have worked together to apply advanced development and manufacturing expertise to the project. 

With the Health Canada approval, manufacturing of the 10,000 ventilators can begin, with the first shipment distributed shortly after that.

QUOTES
“FTI and the consortium members of Ventilators for Canadians appreciate the collaborative effort, expertise and commitment from the management teams and employees of Baylis Medical and Medtronic Canada as well as our entire supply chain group,” said Rick Jamieson, President and CEO of FTI and ABS Friction. “Everyone involved knows the significance of helping Canadians during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The teams at ISED and Public Services and Procurement Canada have worked tirelessly to ensure there were no delays in getting this project started -- we’re very grateful for their efforts in ensuring that Canadians will have access to these much-needed ventilators.”

“We are thrilled to have achieved the first major milestone in our work to serve Canadian COVID-19 patients,” said Neil Godara, Vice-President and General Manager of Design and Manufacturing Services at Baylis Medical. “We are grateful for the support of all government agencies involved in this initiative. The ongoing guidance of Health Canada was instrumental in obtaining this approval in record time. At the same time, our work with the Public Health Agency of Canada will ensure that the ventilators are deployed without delay. This initiative is truly a team effort.”
 
QUICK FACTS
- The Baylis V4C-560 ventilator is based on Medtronic’s PB560 ventilator design made available through a globally-granted permissive license.
- The Baylis V4C-560 ventilator is based on a ventilator that is used in hospitals globally and is familiar to doctors and respiratory professionals.
- The Baylis V4C-560 ventilator is compact, lightweight and portable, providing airway support for both children and adults. 
- FTI Professional Grade Inc. is the prime contractor to the Federal government, with Baylis Medical engaged as manufacturing subcontractor and V4C supporting the supply chain and manufacturing process. 
- Health Canada approval is required for all medical equipment and is an important safeguard ensuring medical devices conform to health and safety standards.
- Ventilators take the strain off of the patient’s lungs, supply oxygen, and simulate breathing actions, making them critical devices for the management of severe respiratory illness, such as COVID-19. 

About Ventilators for Canadians 

Ventilators for Canadians (V4C) is a consortium of entrepreneurs, philanthropists, industrial, technology and engineering businesses who have come together to identify and pursue solutions to help Canadians through the challenging COVID-19 healthcare emergency. Companies in the consortium have received formal orders from the Government of Canada either as the prime contractor or subcontractor for 20,000 ventilators. For more information visit www.VentilatorsforCanadians.com or www.v4c.ca

About FTI Professional Grade Inc.
FTI Professional Grade Inc. is currently under contract with the Government of Canada to deliver 10,000 ventilators.  FTI Professional Grade Inc. partners with best-in-class medical device companies and suppliers to provide life-saving ventilators and related respiratory equipment to assist government, healthcare institutions, and front-line clinical personnel meet the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

About Baylis Medical 
Baylis Medical is a leader in the development and commercialization of innovative medical devices in the fields of cardiology and spine. Headquartered in Canada, and with offices worldwide, our clinical solutions have been Improving the Lives of People Around the World for over 30 years. For more information, visit www.baylismedical.com and connect with us on Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram.

Media inquiries
Ventilators for Canadians: Brian Buchan, media@VentilatorsforCanadians.com 

FTI Professional Grade Inc: Brian Buchan, media@ftipg.com

Baylis Medical: media@baylismedical.com

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