Editing Philips Respironics (section)

==History==
In 1976, company founder [[Gerald E. McGinnis]] opened the company's first manufacturing facility for [[anesthesia]] masks near [[Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania]]. Previous product research and manufacturing had occurred in the founder's kitchen. Other early products included endotracheal and tracheostomy products.

McGinnis developed the "Nasal CPAP Mask System," a [[continuous positive airway pressure]] (CPAP) machine for the treatment of [[sleep apnea]],<ref>{{cite web |title=Philips kept complaints about dangerous breathing machines secret while company profits soared |url=https://newsinteractive.post-gazette.com/philips-respironics-cpap-defect-recall/ |website=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Interactive |publisher=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |access-date=2 February 2024 |date=27 September 2023}}</ref> based on the original 1981 design by [[Colin Sullivan (physician)|Dr. Colin Sullivan]].<ref>{{cite web |title=How the CPAP machine beats deadly sleep apnoea |url=https://www.sydney.edu.au/news-opinion/news/2018/03/16/how-the-cpap-machine-beats-deadly-sleep-apnoea.html |publisher=The University of Sydney |access-date=2 February 2024}}</ref> After receiving [[FDA]] approval in 1984, Respironics began selling the first commercially available CPAP machine a year later.<ref>{{cite news |title=Philips recall crisis casts shadow over legacy of Respironics founder |url=https://www.post-gazette.com/business/healthcare-business/2023/12/29/gerald-mcginnis-philips-respironics-legacy/stories/202312290012 |access-date=2 February 2024 |publisher=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |date=30 December 2023}}</ref>

In 1988, the company went public under the stock ticker symbol RESP. In 1992, Respironics received a patent for bi-level technology. This technology was originally intended as an improvement on CPAP, however, its use has expanded into the treatment of other breathing disorders such as [[chronic obstructive pulmonary disease]] (COPD).

Other significant milestones were the acquisition of the ventilator company LIFECARE International in 1996, sleep apnea competitor Healthdyne Technologies in 1998, and medical monitor and sensor leader Novametrix in 2002.

On December 21, 2007, Respironics announced it entered into a merger agreement with [[Philips]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.respironics.com/News/philips.asp|url-status=deviated|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080610195622/http://www.respironics.com/News/philips.asp|archive-date=10 June 2008|title=ROYAL PHILIPS ELECTRONICS TO ACQUIRE RESPIRONICS FOR USD $66.00 PER SHARE|website=Respironics}}</ref> with Philips acquiring all shares of Respironics for $66 per share, for a total of approx $5.1 billion. On March 14, 2008, Philips announced completion of tender offer to acquire Respironics.<ref>{{Cite press release |title=PHILIPS ANNOUNCES COMPLETION OF TENDER OFFER TO ACQUIRE RESPIRONICS (EX-99.A.2.I) |author= |website=www.sec.gov |date=14 March 2008 |url= https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/313216/000095012308002956/y51433a9exv99waw2wi.htm}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-philips-idUSL2131786820071221|title=Philips in $5 billion Respironics deal|author1=Foo Yun Chee|author2=Niclas Mika|date=2007-12-21|work=Reuters}}</ref>