Deadline for devices is 2026! Mandatory in city squares, airports, airplanes, and shopping malls

The Ministry of Health is preparing new regulations to increase early intervention in cases of sudden cardiac arrest. The availability of Portable Automatic Defibrillator (AED) devices will be mandatory in certain public areas.

The draft regulation prepared by the ministry covers where the devices will be used, how they will be placed, who can use them, and maintenance procedures. Only AEDs registered with the Turkish Medical Drugs and Devices Agency's Product Tracking System will be valid. A national registration system will be established to track devices and transfer their data. Settlement plans will be based on population density.

According to a report by Esma Altın from Türkiye Newspaper, the devices will be available to healthcare professionals and people with first aid training, as well as citizens who have the necessary information.

The new system is planned to be implemented in airports, airplanes, sports facilities, major city squares, shopping malls, bus and train terminals, university dormitories, and workplaces with more than 500 employees in the public or private sector by the end of 2026. Devices will also be mandatory in event venues with more than 1,000 attendees.

By 2028, all gas stations will be required to have AED devices. The goal is to prevent delays in providing life-saving first aid in the event of cardiac arrest.

Source: Turkey Newspaper