Philips BiPAP Recall Issued Over Risk Plastic in Motor May Release Toxic Chemicals

Another Philips BiPAP machine recall has been announced over toxic plastic materials that may release cancer-causing volatile organic compounds (VOC) into user’s airways.

Just one year after issuing a massive CPAP/BiPAP recall that impacted millions of sleep apnea machines distributed with a toxic sound abatement foam, which has been linked to thousands of reported injuries among users, Philips has announced yet another BiPAP machine recall, this time involving problems with a plastic component in the motor that can release carcinogenic chemicals into the user’s airway.

The Philips BiPAP recall was announced by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on August 29, impacting several models of ventilators that are equipped with a non-compatible material, which may release volatile organic compounds (VOCs) directly into the machine’s air pathways.

Officials warn the devices may suddenly shut down without warning if the toxic plastic material enters the motor. In this event, users may not receive sufficient oxygen pressure, which can increase the risk of respiratory injuries.

The announcement warns the toxic VOC’s released by the BiPAP machine plastic could cause headache, dizziness, irritation in the eyes, nose, respiratory tract (airway), and skin, hypersensitivity reaction, such as an allergic reaction or another immune system reaction, nausea or vomiting, and toxic cancer-causing effects. However, there are also concerns that chemicals released by the Philips BiPAP may cause cancer and other long-lasting side effects.

Problems with Philips CPAP/BiPAP Machines

The new recall comes as the manufacturer is still reeling from problems with several million Philips CPAP, BiPAP and ventilator machines distributed between 2009 and April 2021, which were included in a separate recall issued last year.

Those machines all included a defective sound abatement foam material, which has been found to degrade and release cancer-causing chemicals and gasses directly into the sleep apnea machine’s tubing, face mask and the lungs of users.

Since that recall, thousands of former users have are now pursuing potential Philips CPAP lawsuits, indicating that they have been left with various types of cancer, lung damage and severe respiratory problems following use of the machines to treat sleep apnea.

This latest Philips recall includes A-Series BiPAP A30 (Ventilator), A-Series BiPAP A40 (Ventilator), A-Series BiPAP V30 (Auto Ventilator) and OmniLab Advanced+ models, which are used in both at-home and clinical environments, such as hospitals and sleep laboratories.

The BiPAP machines are designed to pumps air under varying pressure into the airway of the lungs for people with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome to keep their airways open during sleep, and for those who have respiratory insufficiency or respiratory failure.

These recalled Philips BiPAP machines were manufactured and distributed for sale throughout the U.S. between August 6, 2020, and September 1, 2021.

For now, Philips is recommending users to consult with their healthcare providers to determine whether their plan for care and treatment should change as a result of this recall.

While only 386 units are impacted by the recall, officials are warning the A-Series BiPAP A30 (Ventilator) and A-Series BiPAP A40 (Ventilator) machines were also included in the Class I recall of millions of Philips CPAP machines containing toxic PE-PUR sound abatement foam, which have been linked to thousands of adverse events. These models and more than dozen others that contained the PE-PUR foam have already been linked to more than 69,000 reports involving problems among users, including 168 deaths that may be related to breathing particles and gasses released into the machine’s air pathways.