All I Want for Christmas Is...

A brand new Philips HeartStart Home Automatic External Defibrillator.


HeartStart Home AED

Sheesh... I can't believe anyone with $1500 US to burn can rush out to Amazon and buy their very own AED - no prescription required. These devices are great, but to date have been applied in public places, not on the wall of the living room or in the back seat of the car (OK, I lied - I have seen one in the back seat of a car - a guy in the aeromedical business I was looking to do some consulting work with carried one around. Odd.).

Here are a couple of excerpts from the Amazon product description:

The Philips HeartStart Home Defibrillator.
It's the latest in essential safety equipment. Fire extinguishers. Seat belts. Airbags. Home security systems. All essential safety equipment to protect yourself and your loved ones. You know they are there, silently standing by, just in case. They give you peace of mind so that you can focus on life's good things.

Who should have a HeartStart?
Anyone who wants a safer home. Consider the other essential safety equipment you own to protect your loved ones in case of an emergency. Fire extinguishers. Seat belts. Airbags. Now consider the likelihood of needing this equipment.

I guess my aversion here is not to the technology, or to folks that are affluent enough to buy one buying one, its the implication that an AED will eventually be positioned as a lifesaving device every American household should own ("Have you bought one of those things that will restart your heart yet, Marge?"), and that some asshole will inevitably wind up guilting folks that can't afford and don't need one into buying it instead of - oh, groceries or meds. I can see it now:

("How would you feel if Cletus there keels over one night and you don't have the Acme HartSlapper 55? Can you really afford NOT to have one? Its only $99 a month for the rest of your life").

I'm not suggesting Philips or Amazon are doing this - I think they're responsible, and the description of the product and what it does is accurate. But I see an industry developing here...

Just in case I'm off base and you're interested in one of these, click the link above and buy away. I coded it for the Amazon Affiliate Program, so at least if you're going to invest, I'll get a few bucks out of it along the way... act now, at $1500 they're $500 bucks off!

(grin)