In June 2021, after discovering a potential health risk related to the foam in certain CPAP, BiPAP and Mechanical Ventilator devices, Philips Respironics issued a recall of certain ventilators, CPAP and BiPAP sleep apnea devices. As of January 2023, the Philips Respironics recall program has shipped over 2 million replacement devices.
It has since been confirmed that the polyurethane foam used in some devices to reduce sound and vibration can degrade over time, especially if exposed to UV and ozone cleaning solutions. Consequently, the particles can jeopardize human health and lead to pneumonia, cancer and other conditions.
Philips estimates that 3-4 million patients worldwide will be affected by the recall, half of which are living in the US. However, no deaths have been reported due to faulty Philips devices.
The recall, which has been slowed down by supply chain disruptions, has had a strong impact on the company. The company recorded a net loss in Q4 2022 and announced new layoffs in January 2023. On the other hand, it has updated its Quality Management System, set up a platform for affected users and has already produced over 90% of the replacement devices.
