Canadians with sleep apnea frustrated over CPAP machine recall
An estimated two million Canadians suffer from sleep apnea and those who use a Philips brand machine to help them sleep are frustrated that they could have to wait up to a year for repairs or replacement.
“I was scared and I’m still scared using it,” Terry Stanford, of Ennismore, Ont. told CTV News Toronto.
Philips issued a voluntary recall this past June citing a concern that a foam used in their machines could be toxic and break down into small particles and be breathed in by the user.
Some of the possible health risks include headache, irritation, inflammation, respiratory issues and possible toxic and carcinogenic effects.
“I was scared and I quit using it immediately and I had some rough nights — five in a row," Stanford said.
Sleep apnea is when your breathing starts and stops throughout the night, sometimes hundreds of times, which is hard on your lungs and heart and can lead to health problems.
A Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) device provides a steady flow of air to help users get a good night's sleep.
There are four million Philips CPAP machines, as well BiLevel Positive Airway Pressure (BiLevel Pap) devices and Mechanical Ventilators, worldwide, so Philips said it could take up to a year to repair or replace them all.
Stanford has been using her CPAP machine for almost four years.
“My husband complained that I was snoring all the time so I went to the doctor and went and got the sleep study done," she said, added that “it helps [her] sleep better. I don't wake up tired. I don't want to sleep during the day."
The recall has put many users in a difficult position, as some may decide to stop using the device because of the recall or continue to use it and wait for a replacement which could take up to a year.
In a statement on its website, Philips said, “We fully understand and regret the impact that this is having on patients” and added, “our priority is to replace the foam in all the affected devices either by repair or replacement with like devices with the new foam.”
Stanford is hoping she can get her replacement before a year is up.
“It's not just for me, it's for everybody. It's life-threatening and it's got cancer possibilities, so it's not just me — everyone should have it replaced immediately, not in 12 months’ time."
Users are advised to go to the Philips website for more information.
Philips continues to recommend that affected patients follow the advice of their physicians, as they are most familiar with a patient’s medical history. To aid the clinician in the consultation with the patient, Philips has made clinical information available.
Philips added it is producing repair kits and replacement devices in large quantities and has increased the production capacity of repair kits and replacement devices in the third quarter of 2021 to 55,000 per week, aiming to further increase that capacity to 80,000 units per week in the fourth quarter of 2021.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
Full parole granted to man convicted in notorious 'McDonald's murders' in Cape Breton
The Parole Board of Canada has granted full parole to one of three men convicted in the brutal murders of three McDonald's restaurant workers in Cape Breton more than 30 years ago.
Incident on Calgary's Reconciliation Bridge comes to safe resolution
Nearly 20 hours after a man climbed and remained perched on top of the Reconciliation Bridge in downtown Calgary, the situation came to a peaceful resolution.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
'We won't forget': How some Muslims view Poilievre's stance on Israel-Hamas war
A spokesman for a regional Muslim advocacy group says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's stance on the Israel-Hamas war could complicate his party's relationship with Muslim Canadians.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.