The Belgian FAMHP (federal agency for medicines and health products) already placed a warning on its website on 20 July about the CPAP, BiBAP and respirators from Philips. It states that safety issues have been reported, but no serious acute health risks associated with the use of the devices. Belgian patients are advised to consult their doctor about the further course of their treatment. The FAMHP also urged Philips to quickly conduct additional research.
According to pulmonologist Johan Verbraecken, also medical coordinator of the UZA sleep center, there are about 70,000 of these devices in use in Belgium, accounting for about half of the market. He said this in “The world today” on Radio 1. Verbraecken expects that the replacement of those Philips devices can take about a year. In the meantime, he advises patients with apnea to continue to use the ventilator, because the negative effects of stopping treatment are also significant.
–
