3M to Pay $6 Billion in Military Earplug Settlements
August 31, 2023Philips Respironics, who makes CPAP sleep apnea machines, has agreed to pay at least $479 million in a settlement over health risks from their toxic sound reducing foam.
The settlement will go toward users who bought or rented the recalled devices.
In 2021, Philips recalled over 10 million devices because of the silicone-based foam they used to reduce sound and vibration. The foam can break down and can be breathed in by the user.
Some side effects that have been reported are: headache, upper airway irritation, cough, chest pressure and sinus infection. Additionally, there have been at least 385 deaths associated with exposure to the foam since April 2021.