Philips Failed to Investigate Apnea Patient’s Death

This article was last updated on June 23, 2023

Canada: Oye! Times readers Get FREE $30 to spend on Amazon, Walmart…
USA: Oye! Times readers Get FREE $30 to spend on Amazon, Walmart…

Philips violated European legislation for medical devices

The multinational technology company, Philips, has come under fire for failing to investigate the death of a Dutch patient who used one of their apnea devices. This has resulted in a violation of European legislation for medical devices.

NRC Investigation Reveals Family’s Report to Philips

An investigative report conducted by NRC has shed light on the circumstances surrounding the death of a 65-year-old teacher from Oosterbeek. The sons of the deceased wrote a letter to Philips management, explicitly linking their father’s death to the use of the Dreamstation, which is one of the devices that Philips issued a recall for in 2021 due to its potential to cause serious or even life-threatening injuries.

Failure to Notify Health and Youth Care Inspectorate

According to European laws, Philips was required to forward the report from the family to the Health and Youth Care Inspectorate (IGJ). Additionally, the company should have initiated its own investigation into the matter. This investigation should have included details of the specific device used by the deceased individual and how it was utilized.

A spokesperson for the inspection stated that the IGJ had not received any reports of a death associated with the Philips Dreamstation. Without information from Philips, the Inspectorate is unable to determine whether the company is complying with the legal obligation to investigate the death.

Apologies and Next Steps

A spokesperson for Philips acknowledged the failure of their internal processes and issued an apology. The company has invited the next of kin for an interview and expressed their commitment to providing the answers they are seeking.

Previous Case Investigation

So far, the IGJ has only been made aware of one death case involving a Philips ventilator being used in a healthcare institution. Following an investigation conducted by Philips, it was determined that the device was functioning normally and was not the cause of death.