27 September 2026
By Valerie Ryan
valerie@TheCork.ie
People buying anti-choking devices online are being warned to take particular care over counterfeit and unbranded products being sold as alternatives to the genuine LifeVac® device.
LifeVac is a non-invasive airway-clearance device designed to help remove an obstruction from a person’s airway during a choking emergency. The manufacturer says it is intended to be used after established basic life-support choking procedures have been attempted and have failed, or where those procedures cannot be performed.
The device works using suction. A mask is placed over the person’s mouth and nose to create a seal before the device is operated to generate suction intended to remove the obstruction.
However, the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has previously issued a specific safety warning about counterfeit and unbranded anti-choking devices which closely resemble LifeVac.
The MHRA said in March 2024 that thousands of counterfeit or unbranded devices had been sold through online marketplaces, including Amazon and eBay, as well as through drop-shipping websites. It warned that such products may fail to work or could potentially make a choking incident worse.
The regulator said that counterfeit products were predominantly manufactured or shipped from China and could appear similar or virtually identical to genuine products.
‘Buy genuine LifeVac’
The official UK LifeVac manufacturer, LifeVac Europe, currently operates its UK website from which genuine LifeVac products can be purchased. The company manufactures LifeVac in Devon for the UK and European markets.
The company has also published warnings about counterfeit versions appearing on marketplaces and independent websites. It says buyers should be particularly cautious about products which merely look like LifeVac devices.
One reason for the concern is that a choking device is something a person may rely upon in an emergency when there is little time to discover that a product is poorly manufactured or does not operate as expected.
The MHRA says consumers should not use an anti-choking device if they suspect it is counterfeit or unbranded. It recommends contacting the legal manufacturer if there is uncertainty about whether a LifeVac device is genuine.
Genuine LifeVac devices manufactured for the UK and European market can be identified by regulatory and traceability information. The manufacturer says its UK/EMEA devices carry the appropriate CE and UKCA markings and are supplied with serialised packaging.
Why the warning matters
The MHRA has stressed that anti-choking devices are not intended to replace established first-aid treatment.
Its guidance says that back blows and abdominal thrusts should be attempted in accordance with established basic life-support protocols. LifeVac and other appropriate anti-choking devices are intended for use after those procedures have been attempted and failed, or where they cannot be performed.
The MHRA has specifically warned that counterfeit devices may not comply with UK medical-device requirements and could carry a significant safety risk.
For anyone considering purchasing a LifeVac, the safest approach is therefore to use the official LifeVac UK website or a seller whose status as an authorised distributor can be verified with LifeVac rather than simply choosing the cheapest product that looks similar.
With numerous copies now appearing online, consumers should not assume that a product described as a “LifeVac”, “choking rescue device” or “anti-choking device” is necessarily the genuine regulated product.
In a choking emergency, every second matters — making it particularly important that any device kept for such an emergency is genuine, identifiable and accompanied by the correct instructions.