[News] RECALL THREAD-- IMPORTANT PHILIPS DREAMSTATION & SYSTEM ONE USERS

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FIERCE

Biotech

After patient death, Philips recalls another 120K ventilators due to dust and dirt buildup

Philips is now facing yet another Class I recall for some of its respiratory support machines.

According to an FDA notice Monday, the latest recall centers on several models of Philips’ Trilogy ventilators, including the Evo, Evo O2, EV300, and Evo Universal—none of which were included in the larger, still-ongoing recall, which mainly covers CPAP and BiPAP machines, as well as some of the company’s other ventilator models.

Just over 120,000 Trilogy ventilators distributed around the world between March 2019 and March of this year are included in the newer recall, with more than half of them sold in the U.S.

Philips recalls another 120K ventilators after patient death (fiercebiotech.com)

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LAWSUITS NEWS & LEGAL INFORMATION

PHILLIPS’ ATTORNEYS ATTEMPT TO TOSS OR TRIM CPAP CLAIMS FROM THE MULTIDISTRICT LEGISLATION

In a Pennsylvania federal court on July 10, Philips’ attorneys in their motion to dismiss argued that claims in the “master complaint” for multidistrict litigation (MDL) regarding its recalled breathing machines are either:

 Preempted by federal law;

 Part of state consumer protection laws;

 Couldn't be independent claims in states that don't recognize them;

 The check-box "short form complaints" filed by hundreds of plaintiffs joining the case were insufficiently detailed;

 They weren't allowed as independent causes of action in dozens of states plaintiffs hailed from.


Philips’ Objections Over CPAP Lawsuits and Another Obstacle (lawyersandsettlements.com)

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My DreamStation Go Update

On 7/05 I posted that I received via e-mail two options for remediation for my machine:

Option 1 - A financial payment for the return of my machine.

Option 2 - Receive a replacement DS1 device for the return of my machine.

I stated that I quickly responded through the Portal that I wanted Option 1.

Today, I received a check for $500.

[Sleeprider]

Nice deal. This might be worthy of a new thread

[Phaleronic]

My DreamStation Go Update

On 7/05 I posted that I received via e-mail two options for remediation for my machine:

Option 1 - A financial payment for the return of my machine.

Option 2 - Receive a replacement DS1 device for the return of my machine.

I stated that I quickly responded through the Portal that I wanted Option 1.

Today, I received a check for $500.

That's good.  I had my original DS1 replaced, but my DS1 autoB they're stumbling on because they need the pressure settings, which I've uploaded to DreaMapper, but they are unable to see it so it's a just being drawn out, hopefully they will send the offer they sent to you...

[Br1sleep]

I hope they send me the $500 offer! I have two DS1's. After much back and forth, them not seeing my settings in Dreammapper, them deciding the Rx I emailed to them was missing the doctor's nci number...I selected the "just send me the auto set version" for one of my machines. They sent me a scratched up refurbished one with more blower hours than mine. I have not sent mine back to them.

Meanwhile, I have another DS1 for which I've not (yet) responded "just send me the auto set version." I bought a ResMed (totally out of pocket) at the beginning of the recall that I'm using. I'd love to send back their refurbished machine for $500!! Think that would fly?

[HowardG]

I purchased a new DreamStation Go APAP back in early 2021 for cash from a dealer. Was going to use it for travel based on my doctor's recommendation.  However, before I could use it I received the recall notice and immediately registered online with Philips.  

At first, since it was a big recall I was patient. But as time (years) passed, with the only communication from Phillips being generic emails telling all of us to be sure we had registered our machines, I was underwhelmed by this non-customer service from what had been a good company.  And as time went by without hearing anything, actually it was more accurate to say that I was disgusted and P*ssed!

Philips kept sending email 'Updates' with no real information other than telling me to be patient and they would take care of me. 

I tried calling the dealer I purchased it from but they referred me to Phillips.  I called Philips but just kept getting the run around.  Nothing, nothing, nothing. 

Finally in July 2023 (over 2 YEARS later) I received a general email from Philips offering a cash settlement. I jumped on that. Per Philips' instructions I sent their machine back on 7/30/2023 via FedEx.  On 8/31/2023, a full month after returning the machine, I received a check from Philips.  

The capper was that on the check stub Philips said "The attached check is from Philips Respironics because no repair option is offered for your device . . "  If no repair option was available, they chose to make me wait 2 years! Clearly Philips could care less about customers and has no idea what is customer service.

So after 2 years of waiting without communication from them I will NEVER purchase another Philips product ever again.  A company that cares so little for its customers does not deserve our patronage.  They have certainly lost mine.

Howard Goldman

[SuperSleeper]

The capper was that on the check stub Philips said "The attached check is from Philips Respironics because no repair option is offered for your device . . "  If no repair option was available, they chose to make me wait 2 years!

We call it the "medical mafia" for a reason.  It makes financial sense (to Philips) to delay sending out checks.  They make more money by holding off on payments.

I'm not sure on the exact numbers, but for instance, let's say there's 100,000 recalled DreamStation Go units worldwide for which they will eventually pay out $500 per unit.  Even if they get only 2% interest in the bank for the recall funds, it's a heck of a lot of money.

100,000 units x $500 = $50,000,000 X 2% interest = $1,000,000 in interest X 2 years = $2 million in interest income for them if they wait to send out those funds for 2 years.

Those numbers may not be totally accurate, of course, but the concept is the same -  You can bet the Philips bean-counters were behind the delay - it benefits them financially to wait, wait, wait before distributing funds.  Philips is a huge company and to be honest, their CPAP division isn't a huge portion of their overall product line.  So they don't really care all that much about how bungled-up this whole recall appears to end-users.  

Remember, in the world of CPAP manufacturers - YOU (the patient) are NOT their "customer".  They only see DMEs as "their customer".  You're a customer of the DME, but NOT a customer of the CPAP manufacturer.  This is one unfortunate industry standard that Apnea Board is trying to change.

[HowardG]

My check was $900.00. So multiply your numbers by 1.8!!! So $3,600,000!

[TimaaaaaaaahRocks]

Those numbers may not be totally accurate, of course, but the concept is the same -  You can bet the Philips bean-counters were behind the delay - it benefits them financially to wait, wait, wait before distributing funds.  Philips is a huge company and to be honest, their CPAP division isn't a huge portion of their overall product line.  So they don't really care all that much about how bungled-up this whole recall appears to end-users. 

If I recall, *rimshot*, before foam-gate philips total revenue was around $19B US, and c-crap was $2B. Around 10% is a sizeable portion of the biz.  
As for anyone at philips giving a rats dupah about their end-users? Their in-actions speak for themselves.