When medical research proved it was possible to safely deliver small doses of the poisonous gas nitric oxide to assist patients with respiratory and other illnesses, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration asked ASTM Committee F29 on Anesthetic and Respiratory Equipment to create standards for the sensitive delivery devices. Dr. Daniel E. Supkis, Jr., M.D., and Mark Graber report on the need for standards for these instruments and F29’s response. //