FRANKFORT, Ky. (LEX 18) — Kentucky House Bill 335 in reference to anti-choking devices in schools is drawing criticism from a Cincinnati attorney.
Phil Heimlich, son of the inventor of the Heimlich maneuver, says the devices have not been shown to work in clinical trials and can cause danger to choking victims.
The bill would allow Kentucky schools to use anti-choking devices without liability concerns, and is moving to the full Kentucky House for consideration after passing the House committee.
It has been reintroduced this year and if it passes the full House, it will go to the Senate.
Heimlich believes Kentucky children are at risk if the bill is enacted.
"This bill needs to be voted down," Heimlich said.
Heimlich argues that the makers of anti-choking devices are not being transparent with lawmakers about federal warnings surrounding their products.
"The makers of the devices never tell the legislators about the warnings by the FDA," Heimlich said.
Last year, the FDA issued letters to LifeVac ordering them to stop distributing its device.
"Warning about these devices, the fact that they have not been shown to work in clinical trials, the fact that they cause danger to the choking victim," Heimlich said.
The bill is named after Landon McCubbins, an 8-year-old third grader who died after choking on a bouncy ball four years ago at Boston Elementary School in Nelson County. Heimlich believes the makers of anti-choking devices use the child's tragic death to justify the bill, taking advantage of parents' pain.
"They kind of push them out at these legislative committees and convince them that if they had a device there the kid would have lived," Heimlich said.
Heimlich also raised concerns about the practical limitations of relying on a device in a choking emergency.
"You don't know where a kid is going to choke. It could be on the third floor and swallowing a candy or something and chokes," Heimlich said.
Instead, he is calling for a different approach.
"There needs to be a law requiring every member of school staff to be trained in the Heimlich maneuver," Heimlich said.
Heimlich noted that Ohio, where he is based, requires at least one person per school to be trained in the Heimlich maneuver.
House Bill 335 would permit, but not mandate, Kentucky schools to use anti-choking devices.
