[Equipment] PHILIPS RECALL FOCUS GROUP

[WakeUpTime]

This may already exist in other site forums.  I thought it may be beneficial to start a separate thread on actions that impacted Philips Recall device users could take as a collective group.  Philips is well prepared to ignore the requests from individual users, however if that same request were to be repeated by 30, 50 or 100 recalled device owners, that might carry a little more weight.  The same may hold true for letters sent to medical and consumer protection agencies, government offices, law firms, sleep associations, insurance companies, etc., regarding Philips' specific actions and policies related to the Recall.

Template e-mail letters could be constructed by one person, with the individual group members repeating the same e-mails - only of course if they fully support the letter.  If the document were already prepared, along with e-mail (or telephone) contact details to make it very easy, we might be able to tilt the direction of some of Philips' policies.  The collective group, if not all Philips Recall device users, would therefore benefit by the efforts of one individual, saving a substantial amount of time and potentially generating some greater results.  

It's important to note that this proposed new thread would only be for responding to Philips, and not to detract from the discussions in the main Philips Recall thread, or related Recall threads (foam replacement, DS2 encryption, etc.).

[btreger]

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To whom it may concern,

My name is xxxxxxxx and I am a Sleep Apnea patient. I am a user of one of the recalled products. I was notified via email on June 14 of Philips Involuntary Recall and registered my product. I am also a member of The Apnea Board Forum.

This is a Medical Crisis, millions of sleep apnea patients in the US have been left to fend for themselves while trying to survive and protect their health. You may not know all of the detailed health effects of this recall, so I have attached a document with all the relevant information.

We desperately need news media like yours and your association with other news outlets to stand up and sound the alarm, and to contact Philips and the FDA to make sure they understand you are very concerned for the health of millions of American citizens. Contacting The US Consumer Product Safety Commission could help to highlight this ongoing health crisis. Critical Care Doctors need to be made aware of all the potential symptoms related to the recalled CPAP products.

Some of our concerns:

-Recalled device users know that they likely won't receive a "fixed" device (or replacement) for many months, possibly years

-Philips has instructed users to stop using their recalled devices and acquire a replacement device

-A timely immediate appropriate replacement or compensation for the need to immediately replace a medically necessary breathing system

-CPAP systems are not health aids, they are life extensions

-Telling CPAP users that they must immediately stop using their machine means they have to immediately acquire something else - or, worse yet, be forced to continue using their defective, potentially cancer-causing, breathing system

-Out-of-Pocket financial costs, for purchasing new equipment, and to cover current and future health problems related to the use of defective devices

-Corporate neglect in delaying the announcement of the recall

-Design errors in the implementation of the foam in 2009


It is very apparent to users like me, that this industry has no enforceable standards or oversight. There is no third party that can verify and certify the safety of these life-saving products. Unless changes are made, problems like this will keep happening and human life will be at risk.


Respectfully yours

xxxxxxxxxxxxx


Some e-mails that could be used;

denise.roland@wsj.com           Wall Street Journal
dbaquet@nytimes.com            New York Times
walter.snesko@fda.hhs.gov      FDA
info@cts-sct.ca                       Canadian Thoracic Society 
info@tga.gov.au                      Australian Government / Therapeutic Goods Administration 
evening@cbsnews.com            60 Minutes 
sally.buzbee@washpost.com    Washington Post
Gerald.Harmon@ama-assn.org AMA

[btreger]

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Apnea Board Summary

Philips Recall


http://www.apneaboard.com/wiki/index.php/Philips_Respironics_Recall_2021

[WakeUpTime]

DRAFT 

To whom it may concern, ...

Excellent letter.  
I'll look forward to utilizing much of that text with several additional parties.
Many thanks.

I'd like to also make a letter to address the Philips CEO's comments about not needing to address perceived "shelved" Philips Recalled devices.  I'll post when I can pull the right text together.

[WakeUpTime]

Here's another example of Recalled device owners reaching out to demand a better response from Philips:

Philips must take responsibility for recall of CPAP machine for sleep apnea
https://www.lehighvalleylive.com/opinion...etter.html

By Express-Times Letters to the Editor
November 24, 2021

Why is no attention given to the recall of certain Philips CPAP machines and ventilators? Millions of users were warned of a defect and were told to stop using the machines immediately, myself included. It’s been months with no progress.

Patients with obstructive sleep apnea can die in their sleep without these machines. The heart can stop if we do not have use of a replacement. Pulmonary doctors are angry and frustrated, and people are getting weaker. This is a travesty!

Please, I beg of you out there to protest this ignorance of responsibility of this potentially cancer-causing recall. Philips, stop passing the buck and take responsibility! This recall was announced in June, but six months later we are still left vulnerable. I see class action suits being filed here! Speak up those who are affected.

Dorothy Falco
Easton

[LindanHotAir]

I don’t understand how Philips can ignore “shelved” machines. Their recall notice initially told patients to stop using their machines. Now if they did so, the machines are “shelved”? Was that intended to reduce the problem for Philips? Can you spell Catch 22?