Philips expands respirator recall

Healthcare technology company Philips is expanding its earlier recall of certain respirators due to problems with plastic materials. According to the United States regulator FDA, the company is now recalling 1,700 BiPAP devices. Previously, the recall involved 43 devices.

386 BiPAP devices are being recalled in the United States, the rest elsewhere in the world. No devices need to be returned in the Netherlands. The motors of the recalled machines may contain unsuitable plastics that may release chemicals. It can also cause the device to fail during use.

Philips said it hadn’t received any report that the problem caused patient injuries and wants to resolve the matter as soon as possible. According to a Philips spokesperson, the company recalls the additional devices as a precaution. The first 43 devices were recalled in April last year. This action is now expanded to 1,700 machines. The expanded recall involves no extra costs, the spokesperson said.

The recall of the BiPAP devices is separate from the safety notice Philips issued for its sleep apnea devices due to issues with the sound-dampening foam. Though the same replacement and repair program will solve the possible plastic problem with the BiPAP devices.

Philips is currently also working on a recall of sleep apnea devices because their insulating foam could crumble, causing potential health problems for users. A total of 5.5 million devices need to be replaced. This recall already cost the company hundreds of millions of euros.