North Dakotans May Get A Piece Of $479 Million Settlement For Faulty CPAPS

Near the end of last year, Philips, a manufacturer of medical equipment, issued a payment order for hundreds of millions of dollars to former CPAP and BPAP users. This was all because of a recall that started over 2.5 years ago.

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What is a CPAP machine?

The continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) system is designed to keep your airway from collapsing while you sleep. Wearing a mask that you can seal with your nose or mouth allows you to breathe in pressured air. As a result, you may breathe easily and go to sleep soundly. You can't rely on the CPAP machine to help you breathe.

Why were the Philips ventilators recalled?

The enormous recall started when it became clear that the machines were leaking potentially dangerous foreign substances into the respiratory systems of the people using them because of malfunctioning internal components. Since the recall's inception, as stated in this According to this CBS article,

"The Food and Drug Administration has since received 105,000 complaints, including 385 reported deaths."

All told, Philips had to pay out $479 million in a settlement, and any Texans who used the recalled devices can now apply to get their share of that money.

What did Philips say went wrong with the machines?

Philips has denied any wrongdoing in the recall of the 5 million devices, comprising around 20 models sold from 2008 to 2021. The nearly $500 million payout included an agreement that the company would not be held liable for any failures, whether they were known or not, that went unnoticed.

The good news is that millions of people who suffer from sleep apnea will have to find another way to get a decent night's sleep, as this USA Today article reports that Philips will no longer offer the devices in the US going forward.