In the United States, two deaths are associated with a failing medical heart cabinet from Philips. It reports that Eindhovens Dagblad After a report from the US regulator FDA, who issued the most serious security report. In 109 other injury cases it would also have gone wrong, without a fatal outcome. According to Philips, there were problems with the cupboards in those cases, but that did not lead to damage to the patients.
After reporting from the Eindhovens Dagblad, a Philips spokesperson confirms that the deaths ‘possibly have a link’ with the device. These are so-called MCOT plasters who collect heart data, so that patients do not have to stay in the hospital for control. Due to a software problem, these heart data were not forwarded to treating patients treating doctors, so that heart failure was not signaled on time.
The plasters are not sold in Europe. In the US there are around 130,000 MCOT plasters in circulation at more than 41,000 customers. According to Philips, the software problem has since been resolved and the devices are working properly again.
Philips under fire
It is not the first incident with failing Philips equipment. For years there have been major problems with sleep apnea devices for home use, which in 2021 led to the recall of millions from those devices. Last year, the Eindhoven company settled for $ 1.1 billion in damage claims of 60.ooo patients. They claimed to have received asthma and even cancer from the devices, the insulating foam layer of which released.
NRC discovered reports and alarming investigations in that matter, tried to hide the company in October last year.
Read also
‘Philips ignored disturbing reports about apnea devices’