The anti-choking devices work by using suction to remove blockages (Picture: LIfeVac)
If you’ve looked at parenting groups recently, you may well have heard about a new type of device to prevent choking.
They are becoming more widespread, and the government removed a restriction on their sale previously in place due to lack of evidence last year.
The devices use suction to remove a blockage from the airways, and can be used on children or adults, depending on the size of mask used. They are particularly bought for children due to choking being so widespread as they learn to eat.
But this week parents were warned to be careful about where they buy their kit from, as thousands have bought potentially unsafe unbranded or counterfeit devices.
Analysis of listings across online marketplaces like Amazon, eBay, and drop-shipping websites, indicates that around 10,000 have been bought that may not meet medical standards.
These do not comply with regulations and could even cause harm, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) warned.
Oliver Steeper died after choking at nursery and his parents are now campaigning for nurseries to regularly have LifeVacs available (Picture: Lewis Steeper/SWNS)
Only two devices pass UK standards, they said: the LifeVac and Dechoker. Both must have a valid UKCA or CE mark.
The warning says they should only be used as a last resort after standard first aid protocols, such as back blows, have been attempted and failed.
It comes as parents of a baby who choked to death spoke about how they were able to save their second child from the same danger by using a LifeVac, a device they now campaign to have available in nurseries.
‘Use of a counterfeit or unbranded anti-choking device carries a significant risk of failure to resolve the blockage and may worsen the situation by pushing obstructions further down the airway passage,’ the warning says.
People should be aware of the possibility of false reviews, and also be cautious if a device is shipped from China, as neither of the approved brands are manufactured there.
Dr Alison Cave, MHRA Chief Safety Officer, said: ‘Patient safety is our top priority. Buying anti-choking devices that do not have a valid UKCA or CE mark increases the risk of receiving a product which does not include appropriate instructions and is either fake or does not meet the UK’s regulatory requirements.
‘These products do not meet our strict quality standards and may put your health and safety at significant risk by failing to resolve or even worsening choking incidents.
‘The MHRA is working with online marketplaces to remove unbranded and counterfeit anti-choking devices from sale. Do not use the device if you suspect it is counterfeit. Please submit a Yellow Card report if you have previously used a counterfeit or unbranded device and it failed to work, including details of where you bought the product.
‘The majority of counterfeit or unbranded anti-choking devices are manufactured or shipped from China, appear in a similar or identical design to the LifeVac anti-choking device and, in some cases, claim to be the genuine brand.’
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