Philips HeartStart FR3 Automated External Defibrillator (AED), models 861388 and 861389. The HeartStart FR3 is a battery powered automated external defibrillator (AED) designed for use by responders who have been trained in Basic Life Support (BLS), Advanced Life Support (ALS), or another physician-authorized emergency medical response program. The HeartStart FR3 is used to treat suspected victims of ventricular fibrillation (VF), the most common cause of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA), and cert

Recall Insight

This FDA Devices action (record #Z-1225-2014) was formally reported on March 26, 2014, with the manufacturer initiating the action on February 6, 2014. It is classified under Moderate severity (Class II), with a current status of Terminated. Philips Medical Systems North America Inc. is listed as the recalling firm, operating out of Bothell, WA. Federal records indicate 251 units total (128 in USA and 123 untils outside USA) units are affected, placing this recall in the million-unit bracket that typically triggers nationwide consumer alerts and retailer sweeps.

The documented reason for this recall is: Philip's is recalling HeartStart FR3 Automated External Defibrillator (AED) because the Printed Circuit Board (PCB), which contains the circuitry that supplies energy to the device, could become separated from the elect… Distribution data in the federal record shows the product reached: Worldwide Distribution - US Distribution including the states of AL, CA, CO, WA DC, FL, GA, HI, KS, MD, ME, MI, MS, NC, NM, NY, PA, TX, VA, WA and WI., and the countries of Australia, Austria, Canada, France, Germany, …. Distribution scope directly affects the consumer exposure window and determines whether a recall remains regional or escalates into a nationwide advisory.

To put this record in context, PlainRecalls indexes 83,949 recalls across the FDA, CPSC, NHTSA and USDA FSIS going back to 1995. Within the same product category, the database holds 6 closely related recalls, of which 6 were also issued by FDA Devices. That clustering is a signal — repeated actions in a narrow category often indicate a systemic quality-control issue, a supplier-wide contamination, or a design defect that has propagated across product lines. This recall is roughly 12 years old; older recalls can remain relevant because many units enter resale, rental, and secondary-market channels where the original warning never reaches the end user. Always cross-check the recall number against the official agency page before relying on any summary.