Philips CPAP & BiPAP Lawsuit Attorneys
We stand up for patients diagnosed with cancer or kidney disease
Have you used a Philips CPAP or BiPAP machine to treat sleep apnea? You may have been exposed to cancer-causing chemicals – and you may have legal recourse if you received a cancer diagnosis or a kidney disease diagnosis involving dialysis. Give us a call or schedule a free consultation online to discuss your legal rights and options.
What are CPAP and BiPAP machines?
CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) and BiPAP (bilevel positive airway pressure) machines are ventilators used to treat people with certain respiratory diseases, mostly sleep apnea, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and emphysema. These machines provide a constant stream of pressurized air through a flexible tube connected to a mask, preventing the airway from collapsing. This eliminates breathing pauses and allows people with sleep apnea to sleep through the night without snoring, choking, or waking up from lack of oxygen.
What is the safety concern with Philips CPAP and BiPAP machines?
The potential health risk in these Philips medical devices comes from the polyester-based polyurethane foam (PE-PUR) which is used to reduce the noise produced by the machine. Unfortunately, the foam can degrade during usage, which creates toxic and potentially carcinogenic (cancer-causing) chemicals. Those chemicals can then be inhaled or swallowed by the patient while the machine is in use.
Philips issued a recall in June 2021 due to these potential health risks. The recalled systems include:
- E30
- DreamStation ASV
- DreamStation ST, AVAPS
- SystemOne ASV4
- C Series S/T, AVAPS
- OmniLab Advanced Plus
- System One 50 series
- System One 60 series
- DreamStation CPAP, Auto CPAP, BiPAP
- DreamStation GO CPAP, APAP, Auto CPAP
- Trilogy 100 Ventilator
- Trilogy 200 Ventilator
- A-Series BiPAP V30 Auto Ventilator
If you have purchased or been prescribed an affected system, you may have received a recall letter. You can find the current recall list on the Philips website.
What are the potential complications of using a CPAP system?
Inhaling or swallowing the degraded foam can cause numerous symptoms, including:
- Irritation to the skin, eyes, and respiratory tract
- Inflammation
- Headache
- Asthma
- Sinus infection
- Chronic cough
- Upper airway irritation
- Kidney and liver disease
Studies have linked the PE-PUR foam in CPAP systems to numerous cancers. Our law firm is currently reviewing cases involving kidney disease and cancer diagnoses, including people who have been diagnosed with:
- Bladder cancer
- Brain cancer
- Breast cancer
- Hematopoietic cancer
- Kidney cancer
- Leukemia
- Liver cancer
- Lung cancer
- Lymphatic cancer
- Multiple myeloma
- Nasal cancer
- Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
- Papillary carcinoma
- Prostate cancer
- Rectal cancer
- Stomach cancer
- Testicular cancer
- Thyroid cancer
Unfortunately, it seems likely that Philips was aware of these potential safety risks but chose to continue to market and sell these dangerous products anyway. The company’s own lab tests showed that dangerous chemicals released by the degraded foam exceeded safe exposure thresholds.
What should I do if I’m using a recalled device?
The first thing you need to do is talk to your doctor right away. Discontinuing the use of a CPAP or BiPAP system can be dangerous, so don’t make any changes without getting medical advice. If you have already been diagnosed with cancer, talk to a qualified oncologist and tell them that you used a recalled Philips machine.
Second, talk to a lawyer. You may have legal recourse and access to compensation for costs such as medical bills, lost income, pain and suffering, and other damages. However, there is a deadline to take legal action, and your attorney needs time to investigate and start building a viable case.
The sooner you speak with an experienced CPAP lawsuit attorney, the better. We can explain your rights and help you find your path forward. Schedule your free consultation with Coby L. Wooten, Attorney at Law today.