To understand the breakdowns that led to one of the most tumultuous medical device recalls in generations, ProPublica and the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette spent a year probing what happened inside Philips Respironics after the company first learned that contaminants were turning up in breathing machines, including CPAP devices and ventilators, designed to save lives.
We also tracked what’s happened since the recall as the company claimed that its devices were safe despite multiple test reports showing that foam embedded inside them could break down and send dangerous particles and chemicals into the masks of patients.
In Item 1, we take viewers through our Philips investigative series, summarizing what’s revealed through several stories and ending what was — at the time — our most recent development: The FDA repeatedly rejected safety claims made by Philips after its CPAP recall, but waited to alert the public. On TikTok, the video captured more than 121,000 views, 17,000 likes, 2,500 shares, 2,200 saves and brought in hundreds of comments. Many viewers shared their personal experiences and expressed that they were going to immediately check the brand and model of their own CPAP machine.
In Item 2, we focus on how UnitedHealthcare tried to deny coverage to a chronically ill patient. He fought back, filed a lawsuit, and exposed the insurance company’s inner workings. In our reporting process, we secured a phone call between two UnitedHealth workers who laughed about denying the patient’s insurance claim as well as a video in which a doctor testified about cutting and pasting denial language from a nurse’s notes. That same doctor shared that he’s done more than 10,000 denials for UnitedHealthcare and didn’t usually look at the medical records — just signed his name. These pieces of evidence were included in the video. On Instagram, the video received more than 154,000 views, 9,800 likes, 2,500 shares and 1,400 saves. Almost half of the viewers were non-ProPublica followers, which showed how social video can expand the reach of our reporting.
For Item 3, ProPublica found that the Department of Homeland Security has launched a task force to combat a scheme known as “card draining,” in which thieves use stolen or altered card numbers to steal money before the owner can spend it. It marks the first time that federal authorities have focused on the role of Chinese organized crime in gift card fraud and devoted resources to fighting it.
In the entry, reporter Craig Silverman shares tips on how people can avoid becoming a victim of “card draining.” Between 2019 and 2023, Americans lost close to $1 billion due to card draining and other gift card scams, so we knew the information shared in the video could resonate with many viewers and/or help them in the future. This angle also provided another entry point into the team’s investigation.
