philips lawsuit
While the CPAP is a popular treatment for obstructive sleep apnea, it has plenty of drawbacks. Unfortunately, a lot of people suffering from sleep apnea learned the hard way that the CPAP can backfire rather badly.
Philips Respironics, a leading manufacturer of CPAP machines, settled a class action lawsuit over flaws in their machines’ designs. Engineers had installed foam in the machines to help them run quieter and reduce vibration. Which was fine, until that foam started flaking off and – along with toxic gases – was blown into the users’ mouths and lungs. The results, as you can probably imagine, were terrible for a number of CPAP users: the flaking foam has been linked to a number of health issues, including respiratory illnesses, lung cancer and even death. (The FDA has had reports of 385 deaths linked to the machines since April 2021.)
This isn’t a recent issue, either. In June 2021, the FDA issued a recall on Philips machines manufactured since 2009 over concerns that the deteriorating foam could pose a threat to users’ health. This put people suffering from obstructive sleep apnea in a terrible dilemma, as many of them didn’t see any real alternative to a CPAP to get a good night’s sleep.
This is just one reason among many that Dr. Krish doesn’t prescribe the CPAP for her sleep apnea patients. If you’re suffering from sleep apnea and in need of an alternative to the CPAP to get back having a good night’s sleep, contact us today for an at-home sleep study.
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