Philips Respironics announced a voluntary recall for certain CPAP, BiLevel PAP, and mechanical Ventilator Devices due to deterioration of the sound abatement foam used in these devices. This recall affects CPAP and BiLevel PAP devices manufactured prior to April 26, 2021. VA has distributed approximately 300,000 of these devices to Veterans for home use. An additional 2,000 devices are used in VA in hospital or clinic settings.
VA facilities will identify patients who may have received these devices. Clinical teams will work with impacted Veterans to determine the safest plan of care until their devices can be replaced. While there is a potential risk from the deterioration of the sound abatement foam, those risks have to be balanced against the known health risks of untreated sleep apnea. VA clinical experts are working with the FDA and the manufacturer to understand those risks. We expect to issue additional guidance in the coming days.
Veterans with questions can send a secure message to their care team through MyHealtheVet. Additional information is available here.