Philips CPAP Deal Leaves Opening for Future Cancer Claims (1)

Royal Philips NV’s $1.1 billion settlement of US lawsuits targeting 5.5 million recalled sleep-apnea devices resolves only current cases and doesn’t set aside funds for potential future cancer claims over the machines.

The Dutch company has set aside €982 million ($1.1 billion) to fund a settlement of allegations that the faulty sleep-aiding machines pose a cancer risk because of deteriorating sound-dampening foam. The deal also provides money to cover doctors’ bills as users monitor their future health.

The accord seeks to resolve about 60,000 US suits over so-called continuous positive airway pressure, or CPAP, devices, which were targeted by ...