Mr. O'Neill: The company was originally founded back in 1986, but got its real start in 1998 when it finally commenced development of a medical device called the F.A.S.T. 1. This is an intraosseous device. Intraosseous is an alternative to intravenous access to provide life- saving fluids and drugs to humans. We commenced sales in 2000 and have been selling the original product, the F.A.S.T. 1, since then.
TWST: Would you describe the F.A.S.T. 1 product and tell us what its
advantages are?
Mr. O'Neill: The F.A.S.T. 1, as I said, is an intraosseous device.
Intraosseous is a technique of introducing fluids into the body via the
bone marrow. Essentially, you penetrate through the bone with a needle
into the marrow and introduce the fluids. Our device is unique in the
fact that it uses the sternum. This is the bone at the top of your
chest. It is a very thin bone, but below that is a mass of red marrow,
very close to the venal system itself, so when you put fluids into that
marrow space, they very quickly have access to the complete venal
system, plus the fact that we are close to the heart. The drugs can take
effect very quickly. Major features of the system are the fact that it
uses the sternum bone as the point of entry. We have automatic depth
control, so you do not over-penetrate the sternum bone to introduce the
fluids. In the marketplace, it is unique in the respect that the U.S.
Army has studied the F.A.S.T. 1 and competing devices, and has elected
the F.A.S.T. 1 as the device of choice for use within the U.S. Army.
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