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Philips Respironics, maker of the popular CPAP sleep apnea machines, has agreed to pay $479 million to settle some claims that its devices spewed carcinogenic foam and gas into the mouths of its customers.
According to court filings, the company will pay those who bought, leased or rented its recalled machines from $55 to $1,552 per device, plus an additional $100 for each device returned, depending on the model. Will pay Philips did not accept liability as part of the settlement.
The settlement only includes reimbursing costs to users and vendors who financed the equipment. According to the filing, claims made for the cost of personal injuries and medical expenses are not included in the settlement and will continue.
The company has recalled 10.8 million of its sleep apnea devices and replaced 2.5 million in recent years, which include ventilators and BiPAP and CPAP models. The oldest of the 16 models it has recalled is from 2009.
Restless nights for sleep apnea patients whose CPAP machines have been withdrawn
In 2021, Philips issued a memo alerting customers and physicians that the foam used in its sleep apnea machines “can disintegrate into particles that can enter the device’s airway and be swallowed or inhaled.” Can go,” which can lead to “headache, asthma, adverse” condition. Effects on other organs (eg kidney and liver) and toxic carcinogenic effects.”
“We have structured this agreement to quickly provide value to eligible patients in the US and to provide an additional measure of confidence in the safety and quality of Philips Respironics products,” Philips told The Washington Post in a statement.
In a 2021 recall statement, Philips said it has not received any reports of deaths due to the foam in its machines. But since April 2021, the Food and Drug Administration said it had received more than 105,000 complaints related to the foam breaking, including 385 reports of death.
The market for sleep apnea devices is worth billions of dollars and Philips is one of the biggest players.
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