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Replacement for recalled CPAP, Philips recall

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broncovet

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Philips (the company which recalled the CPAP) must have taken a page out of VA's play book:

VA play book?:

   

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1. Delay.

2.  Deny.  

3.  Repeat the above until the Veteran dies.  

Phillips sent me an email today.  They said there was a study done and that "the defective cpap's are not the cause of cancer".  

And, they apologized for the long delays.  (I think its going on a couple years now). 

    It sounds like Philips must have read VA's playbook.  I have not yet gotten my recalled cpap replaced.  They claim it was "ordered" May 10, but not shipped yet.  Huh?  It takes 2 weeks "not to ship it"???

    Have other Vets gotten their replacement cpaps and when?  

    Frankly, I think Phillips should be sued, and I never sue anyone!!  

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Bronc, It's been just less than a year, and the study wasnt done by Phillips's. 

 

I read the study, I also read the prelininary stuff from Phillips's. They didn't have to do a recall at all, the threshold for the potential to be cancer causing was less than a tenth of a percent. They did anyway and all they have gotten for it is trouble. They didn't deny anything they got in front of yet that's not good enough, apparently.

I have one of their affected cpaps, have for a few years. I've got 4 kids, if I thought it was that big of a risk I'd have gotten a new one or gone back to my old one. But I read the information put out, talked to my respiratory therapist, and listened. 

 

I don't know where you think this stash of replacements is supposed to come from, either. 

You literally have a separate group of private specialists saying it's not an issue and that cancer vs not cancer is the same in both groups- meaning it's not an issue with the cpaps. What more do you want?

Edited by brokensoldier244th
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The VAMC sleep clinic gave me some filters place between the hose and the machine. I replace it every month and I have yet to see it catch anything. 

As brokensoldier has said, they did a voluntary recall. They had to find a new type of sound insulating foam that would not break down over time and now they are having to make millions of machines. At my sleep clinic, they only have machines for veterans who are basically in a life or death situation without a machine. People with just sleep apnea have to wait in line. Maybe they will start allowing more veterans to get the Inspire device. My doctor won't give me one. 

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In my hometown, Uranium mill tailings were "given away free" to anyone who wanted to come get them.  

It was used for fill dirt, often around people's homes.  They trusted the government scientists who said that the raidiation levels in the mill tailings "was very very low" and posed no threat to health.  

Many years later, our town became a "clean up supersite" as  many of those homes backfilled with mill tailings  were declared unsafe by the same government that said it was no threat to health previously.  

I cant imagine how "breathing in smalll pieces of foam rubber", deteriorated by ozone , could be healthy for us, study or no study.  I read it too..along with their claim that it wont create a problem.  

Im from Missouri, and I dont want to breathe any foam particles 8 hours per day which are deteriorated by ozone.  The ozone was caused by a cpap cleaner sold to ease the cleaning.  Maybe you did not buy one, and its okay.  But, Phillips did not limit this recall to those who bought and used the ozone cleaner, it was for all of them.  Why?   There is likely a reason they are not telling us, or maybe that they have not discovered yet.  

I appreciate you sticking up for Phillips.  Time will tell if they deserve this or not.  We will see, with time, how this affects Veterans (and others using the cpap) health.  

Many cancers are "very slow growth"..some over decades.  Its unclear how they could clear this of cancer, considering the short period of time (a year or so).  

Until that time, I prefer not to breathe in particles of foam deteriorated by ozone.  

I suggest many agree with me, as I have not been able to get a replacement device in over a year..and I tried.  

I have often wondered how drugs and other medical devices got approved by FDA then later were recalled.  Was the studies not thorough?  Were they flawed?  Were they driven by money?  

"Voluntary recall" sounds like many people who "volunteered" for the military during the draft era.  Yea, they "volunteered"..or would have been drafted soon.  

I wonder if Phillips did a "voluntary recall" to prevent FDA from doing a UNvoluntary recall...we dont know that.  

The email, and study, sounded like it was a car salesman "selling the safety" of the product..citing it was "done by a third party".  Well our c and p exams are often done "by a third party", and that is not always good for the Vet, some of us found out.  

 

 

 

Edited by broncovet
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Well, my brand new CPAP showed up unexpectedly on my porch on Saturday, June 11.  It's the new DreamStation 2. Then of course, yesterday I get an email from Philips saying that the CPAP has been shipped.  They also sent an extra box and shipping label to ship the old CPAP back.  

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