Philips will settle lawsuits by paying $1.1 billion due to its defective sleep apnea devices, marking a significant move toward addressing one of the largest medical device recalls.
Matthew Perrone reports for The Associated Press.
In short:
- The settlement covers personal injury claims and future medical monitoring for affected users.
- More than 5 million devices were recalled for emitting hazardous particles, causing a delay in resolving issues that agitated both regulators and consumers.
- The recent agreements require Philips to revamp production practices and compensate users of the recalled devices.
Why this matters:
The industrial foam used in Philips breathing machines contained substances that could degrade over time, releasing toxic particles and fumes into the masks worn by patients. These toxics included known carcinogens, among other dangerous chemicals. This settlement serves as a message to the medical device industry about the consequences of compromising on product quality and safety standards.
