The Philips fan scandal continues to escalate. The public health center of the Paris prosecutor’s office has just seized the key documents to understand this health case, reports. France Info. They seem to attest to the fact that the Dutch giant was aware of the malfunctions in his breathing apparatus and did not react.
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These devices, used especially by sleep apnea patients, including 350,000 in France and 1.5 million across Europe, contain sound-absorbing foam. In June, Philips noted that particles were coming out of some devices and could be inhaled or inhaled by the patient, causing irritation and headaches. The group, which has recalled 5.3 million respirators, also cited the risk “potential” chronic cancers.
An investigation began in France in June “endangering the lives of others”., “Aggravated Deception and Management of Harmful Materials” after the patient’s complaints. By: France News, documents seized by the courts and released by a group of French, American, Italian and Austrian lawyers show that the Dutch giant and some of its American subcontractors were aware of a serious problem with the polyurethane foam used in these respirators. of their products. And they didn’t notify the appropriate health authorities or respirator users around the world.
Non-medical foam
According to public media, one testimony is particularly reprehensible. On April 1, 74-year-old Lee Lawler, technical director of the company Wm. T. Burnett, a specialist in industrial polyurethane foams in the USA, responded to the American justice. “This engineer cleared his company of responsibility and relentlessly pointed out the obvious shortcomings of Philips and its subcontractors.in writing France Info:. Lee Lawler thus explained that Wm. T. Burnett Company manufactures polyurethane foam exclusively for industrial and non-medical purposes. The latter also informed the American justice about the insulting letters exchanged with direct partners of Philips since 2016. In one of them, he responds to a Philips subcontractor’s concern about the apparent deterioration of the foam. Two years later, in 2018, this subcontractor responded that Philips intended to continue using polyester while implementing “replacement plan».
Change of boss
That’s what Philips defended on Wednesday “As soon as the risk appeared serious, the group attracted regulatory authorities“. And add: “It is important to restore what happened, the society did not sit idle and wait.“.
The ventilator failure scandal has already cost Philips dearly. The former conglomerate, which has refocused on its health and wellness business in recent years, has seen its market capitalization melt by nearly 30 billion euros since the ventilator recall. He also changed leaders. In mid-October, Roy Jacobs replaced Frans van Houten, whose mandate was cut short by the ventilator affair. The new CEO has already announced 4,000 job cuts (out of 80,000) to improve competitiveness.
The scandal is far from over. A hundred patients in France, including more than a dozen cases of lung cancer, are waiting for the opening of judicial information to file a collective complaint against Philips. France Info:.
Source: Le Figaro
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