(07-14-2021, 06:09 PM)hegel Wrote: That said, it's shameful that you haven't been alerted by your dme.

I'm really not an apologist for Phillips, but...they will need to contact, what, half a million people? and they don't have all those records by any means. Most don't buy their machines directly from Phillips. How would they have one's email or phone number?

Quote:"Philips CPAP Recall Leaves Sleep Apnea Patients in Confusion"
July 14, 2021

The company says it has received reports from users who felt sick and found black particles of the insulation material inside their CPAP machine’s air path tube. However, there have not been any consumer reports of exposure to the chemical emissions, and none of those sickened by the particle emissions have died.

The recall affects an estimated three to four million Philips CPAP-type devices globally. Over half of the devices were sold in the US by the company’s Pennsylvania-based Respironics subsidiary, mostly under its DreamStation brand name. The recall only affects the first-generation Dreamstation machines. The newer model Dreamstation 2 machines are not affected by the recall.

While Philips has promised to fix the problem for all its affected machines already in use, it has not yet announced how the recall will work or how long it will take for all of them to be repaired or replaced. Meanwhile, the company is sending letters to all users of the affected machines asking them to register them online to get their machines repaired or replaced, or to call Philips at 877-907-7508.

Industry observers predict that a shortage of new CPAP machines is likely to develop quickly as word of the recall spreads and affected users seek replacement machines from Philips or other CPAP machine manufacturers.

Quote:"Philips CPAP, ventilator machine recalls leave patients unsure what to do"
Massive medical device recall leaves patients unsure what to do
July 9, 2021

Quote:"Philips Recalls CPAP Machines for Cancer Risk Linked to Toxic Foam"
Philips recalled millions of CPAP machines because users can breathe toxic foam that can cause cancer or other health issues.
July 8, 2021

Philips has recalled around 4 million breathing machines because users can breathe tiny particles of toxic cancer-causing foam.  Philips said no one has died yet, but some users have reported suffering from headaches, airway irritation, coughing, chest pressure and sinus infections, according to the Medical Device Recall Notification.

The problem is linked to a type of black foam known as Polyester-Based Polyurethane (PE-PUR), which can disintegrate into tiny particles or toxic gases that users breathe.  Philips designed the breathing machines with this toxic foam inside the same tube that carries the air that a user breathes.  On newer machines, Philips did not change this problematic design. Rather than sealing off the foam from the air a user breathes, the company simply switched out the type of foam in the tube.

Health risks linked to the toxic foam include cancer, organ damage, liver and kidney failure, asthma, sinus infections, and more.  Testing by Philips also discovered that the foam can “off-gas” toxic chemicals, releasing dangerous Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs).  The health risks of breathing bits of foam include “irritation to the skin, eye, and respiratory tract, inflammatory response, headache, asthma, and toxic or carcinogenic effects to organs, such as kidneys and liver,” according to the FDA recall notice.  The FDA also warned that health risks of breathing toxic gases from the foam include “headache; dizziness; irritation in the eyes, nose, respiratory tract, and skin; hypersensitivity; nausea/vomiting; and toxic and carcinogenic effects.”

Philips said these risks increase when the foam is exposed to high heat or humidity, or unapproved cleaning methods, such as ozone.  Unfortunately, many patients who rely on Philips’ recalled breathing machines have been left in the lurch.