The Dutch industrialist launched, in 2021, a global recall of these respirators, in particular used against sleep apnea, suspected of being carcinogenic. Christian Trouchot, administrator of the Federation bringing together associations of patients with insufficient or respiratory disabilities, criticizes the group for not having respected its commitments.
“We give our lives to these people so we expect them to provide us with quality”launches Christian Trouchot, administrator of the FFAAIR, the Federation bringing together associations of patients with insufficient or respiratory disabilities and signatory of the letter sent by France Asso Santé to the ANSM (the National Agency for the Safety of Medicines and Health Products) .
In this letter, the signatories are asking for sanctions against Philips for not having fulfilled its commitments and its replacement schedule for potentially carcinogenic respirators. “As of today, we may be triggering cancers in 5, 10 or 15 years? Who will still think of the Philips affair? No one left”, deplores Christian Trouchot who adds: “We remain in the most total vagueness.”
franceinfo: what exactly do you blame Philips for this recall?
Christian Trouchot: On December 12, there was a videoconference with the stakeholders: the doctors, the providers, Philips, us the patients and the ANSM. Commitments had been made, had been imposed on Philips during the health policy in February 2022 and we have no results as of today. It is not known if all devices have been replaced. On the other hand, we know that for the so-called “trilogy” devices – the life supports that patients use 24 hours a day – nothing has been done to date. In article 2 of the health policy which had been imposed by the ANSM, Philips had been asked to carry out an epidemiological study. To date, we have no results. During this videoconference on December 12, the representatives of the Philips company in France did not even know if this study had been done. It’s still serious.
So you wrote to the Medicines Agency in January to ask for sanctions, did you get any feedback?
In addition to the letter, there were two email reminders in February (on February 9 and 15). To this day, only silence echoes. No return on the side of Philips. We had received a figure from Philips [qui assurait que 98 % des rappels allaient être effectués] but without any possible confrontation on the veracity of this figure. I hope that patients continue to use their machine despite everything because there are still serious consequences in the non-use of respirators such as cardiac arrest or stroke, but on the other hand we are between the hammer and anvil. We have a machine, we know that when we put the mask on our nose there is a danger, but which one? On today’s date, we will perhaps trigger cancers in 5, 10 or 15 years? Who will still think of the Philips affair? More people. That is the problem. We remain in the most total vagueness.
Sanctions would change what do you think?
First, they would recognize that manufacturers cannot do what they want, particularly in the field of health. We give our lives to these people so we expect them to provide us with quality. We must not forget that in France, it is taken into account by the CPAM, so it is public money that is given so that we can treat ourselves. If we don’t reach a legal end, that means that the manufacturers do what they want. It’s serious.
On the judicial level, there have been more than 3,000 complaints filed with the ANSM. You were waiting for the opening of a judicial investigation, the judge in chambers had business secrecy lifted, what does that mean for you?
The judge in chambers noticed that our request was legitimate. It is very important because it means that there are failures on the side of Philips. The second point on which we have been fighting since 2021 is that Philips opposed us to business secrecy. The court said no. Business secrecy has a limit and when documents are requested, the company must provide them to us.