Tainted CPAP machines and ventilators went to children, the elderly and at least 700,000 veterans despite internal warnings. Company insiders said the devices posed an “unacceptable” risk.
Exhibit #482,683 on why capitalism and medicine are inevitably a horrible combination.
The company acknowledged that the foam it had chosen could crumble in heat and humidity and send potentially “toxic and carcinogenic” material into the noses, mouths, throats and lungs of users.
Not only was the foam dysfunctional, the material was fucking carcinogenic.
That’s correct, but a lot of foams and soft plastics are also inherently unstable under normal conditions. Many consumer products have foams or soft rubbery exteriors that will quickly breakdown in a matter of years. These products should just be banned, they just contribute to landfill waste and planned obsolescence.
This really sucks.
The foam disintegrated in humidity but a CPAP uses water to humidify the air that’s pumping, right?
Not to mention
Not only was the foam dysfunctional, the material was fucking carcinogenic.
That’s correct, but a lot of foams and soft plastics are also inherently unstable under normal conditions. Many consumer products have foams or soft rubbery exteriors that will quickly breakdown in a matter of years. These products should just be banned, they just contribute to landfill waste and planned obsolescence.