(PatriotPostNews.com) – A critical software issue has forced the FDA to recall Philips Respironics respirators. Numerous respirator machines across the brand were affected by a catastrophic glitch.
Each affected respirator has the chance of having a life-threatening software issue. A malfunctioning algorithm is causing these machines to incorrectly detect that they are out of battery power, which can cause the machines to shut down. Philips Respironics released a software update to correct the malfunctioning algorithm. The software update is available to customers, and no injuries or deaths have been reported as a result of the broken algorithm.
The respirator recall is not the only recall that the FDA has had to handle recently. In early May, the FDA released a statement for a Class I recall, which is the most severe recall that the FDA can issue. The recall was due to a glitch with an insulin pump app. The app connects the patient’s smartphone to their insulin pump. The app controls the amount of insulin that the pump will deliver. The Philips Respironics brand respirators were also labeled as Class I.
Nearly 90,000 devices had to be recalled because of the insulin pump glitch. Reports say that the app would crash or get stuck in a repeating cycle of opening and closing. These glitches cause the pump to malfunction or even become non-functional. For someone with diabetes who relies on insulin, this malfunction could be life-threatening. The FDA specified that the recall was for a correction or update to the app and that the device did not need to be replaced. The glitch caused 244 injuries.
Besides medical products, some foods also receive Class I recalls. In August 2023, a brand of kosher ice cream was recalled for listeria contamination. No deaths were reported, but two individuals were hospitalized. In the first quarter of 2023, the FDA reported the highest number of recalls in the last four years.
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