Philips CPAP, ventilator machine recalls leave patients unsure what to do Massive medical device recall leaves patients unsure what to do Share Updated: 5:29 PM EDT Jul 9, 2021 Massive medical device recall leaves patients unsure what to do Share Updated: 5:29 PM EDT Jul 9, 2021 Hide Transcript Show Transcript >> IT'S A HEALTH RISK. BEN: LIKE MILLIONS OF PEOPLE, MICHAEL CROSTA IS FACING A CONUNDRUM, OVER S HIPHILIPS C-PAP MACHINE LIKE THIS ONE, WHICH HELPS HIM KEEP BREATNGHI AND SLEEP SOUNDLY DESPITE HIS SLEEP APNEA. >> YOU TELL ME NOT TO USE THIS MACHINE BECAUSE PHIPILS IS RECALLING IT DAN IT MAY CAUSE CANCER BUT THIS AIS SCRIPT THAT I'M SUPPOSED TO USE ON A DAILY BASIS. WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO?> >> THEY JUST SAID STOP USING IT, IMMEDIATELY. BEN: KAREN ROBERTS RECEIVED THE SAME RECALL NOTICE FROM PHILIPS OVER HER MACHINE. >> 6:22 NOW I'M WORRIED. I FEEL LIKE I REALLY NDEE THAT MEDICAL DEVICE TO KEEP ME SA.FE BEN: PHILIPS SAYS FOAM INSIDE THE DEVI MAYCE GIVE OFF DANGEROUS GAS OR BREAK DOWN INTO PONTTEIALLY DANGEROUS TINY PARTICLES WHICH CABEN INGESTED. AND THE COMPANY PLANS TO REPLACE THE FOAM, BUT DOESN'T YET HEAV APPROVAL TO DO THAT. AND PATIENTS LE MIIKCHAEL AND KAREN ARE ONLY AUTHORIZED BY INSURANCE TO BUY A NEW C-PA MACHINE EVERY FIVE YEARS. KAREN CALLED PHILIPS AND WAS TOLD TO CALL HER DOCTOR WHO TOLD HER TO CALL THE RETAILER SHE BOUGHT IT FROM WHO POINTED HER TO INSURANCE WHICH SENT HER BACK TO PHILIPS. WHICH SAYS PATIENTS SHOULD REGISTER THE MACHINE TO MEAK SURE THEY'RE ON THE LIST F AOR X.FI >> IT LEAVES ME AT RISK OF HEALTH ISSUES, AND I REALLY DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO AT THIS POINT. I'VE CALLED EVERYONE I CAN THINK .OF >> COME ON, I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO USE. WHATM AI SUPPOSED TO USE? WELL, WE'LL GET BACK TO Y.OU >> IF IT'S A LIFE-THREATENING CONDITION FOR WHICH THEYE'R USING THE MACHINE, THEN THEY SHOULD DEFINITELY CONTINUE TO USE IT WHILE WAITING UNLESS THEY'RE HANGVI SOME SYMPTOMS. BEN: DOCTOR LAWRENCE EPSTEIN. IS DECTOIRR OF THE DIVISION OF SLEEP AND CIRCADIAN DISORDERS AT BRIGHAM AND WOMEN'S HOSPITAL, HE SAYS PATIENTS WITH SEVERE PROBLEMS SHOULD KEEP USING THE MACHINES DESPITE THE RISKS. AND OTHERS HAVE TO JUDGE FOR THEMSELVES OR WITH THEIR DOCTOR'S ADVICE WHETHER THE BENEFITS OF ETH MACHINES OUTWEIGH THE DANGERS. >> OUR BEST JUDGMENT IS THAT THE RISK OF A COMPLICATION FROITM IS RATHER LOW IF THEY'RE NOT HAVING SPECIFIC SYMPTOMS. AND THOSE HAVE BNEE COUGH, CHEST PRESSURE, HEADACHE, SINUS INFECTION. >> IF I DON'T USE IT, IT'S JUST NOT A GOOD DAY. LET'S JUST SAY TT.HA BEN: IN A STATEMENT, PHILIPS TELLS US IST' MOVING AS QUICKLY AS IT CAN, BUT THERE ARE 3 TO 4 MILLION MACHINES IMPACTED BY THIS HALF OF THOSE IN THIS COUNTRY. AND TYHE NEED FDA APPROVAL