While non-invasive ventilation has been widely used to treat Covid-19, its effectiveness remains unclear. On June 14, 2021, Philips Respironics announced a voluntary recall notification due to two issues related to the polyester-based polyurethane (PE-PUR) sound. 2021 Recall of Philips CPAP Machines, BiPAP. Some of Philips’s devices can also be tweaked to provide invasive ventilation, which are used severe Covid-19 cases. A common treatment for sleep apnea is your doctor prescribing a CPAP or BiPAP machine to use on a nightly basis. The FDA classified the Philips CPAP recall as a Class I recall in July 2021. While CPAP or Continuous Positive Airway Pressure machines have been used to treat sleep apnea or other breathing disorders, the devices have been identified as a possible treatment method for hospitalized Covid-19 patients who may not need invasive ventilation. Certain Philips Respironics ventilators, BiPAP, and CPAP machines recalled due to potential health risks: FDA safety communication. Philips CPAP machines were recalled because polyester-based polyurethane (PE-PUR) used to control sound and vibration in some CPAP, BiPAP and ventilator machines may break down and release toxic particles and gasses that users may inhale or swallow.
In a call, van Houten noted that Philips is the biggest maker of such machines in the world and said “we're going to put all our capacity to focus entirely on replacing and repairing these units.” The entire process is likely to take one year which according to van Houten could lead to a shortage in the availability of the devices. It is important that every Phillips sleep apnea machine owner visit the company's website and register their product on the dedicated recall notification website, and speak with a Phillips CPAP lawyer to see if they qualify to file a claim against the company for selling a defective product without an adequate warning. According to Reuters, Philips CEO Frans van Houten said that between three to four million devices will be recalled.