Alert! counterfeit diabetic test strips.

[Guest guest]

If you are diabetic and use either the one-touch basic or the

one-touch ultra, please check your test strips! I saw a copy of this

article in today's local paper and felt that I should pass this info on...

Cynthia

 

FDA Issues Nationwide Alert on Counterfeit One Touch Basic/Profile and

One Touch Ultra Blood Glucose Test Strips

 

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is alerting the public to

counterfeit blood glucose test strips being sold in the United States

for use with various models of LifeScan, Inc., One Touch Brand Blood

Glucose Monitors used by people with diabetes to measure their blood

glucose.

 

The counterfeit test strips potentially could give incorrect blood

glucose values--either too high or too low--which might result in a

patient taking either too much or too little insulin and lead to

serious injury or death. No injuries have been reported to FDA to date.

 

The counterfeit test strips are:

 

* One Touch Basic®/Profile® (lot #272894A, 2619932 or 2606340)

test strips; and,

* One Touch Ultra® (lot #2691191) test strips.

 

Consumers who have the counterfeit test strips should stop using them,

replace them immediately and contact their physician. Consumers with

questions may contact the company at 1-866-621-4855.

 

The counterfeit test strips were distributed to pharmacies and stores

nationwide--but primarily in Ohio, New York, Florida, Maryland and

Missouri--by Medical Plastic Devices, Inc., Quebec, Canada and

Champion Sales, Inc., Brooklyn, N.Y.

 

The counterfeit test strips can be identified by the following

characteristics:

 

Counterfeit One Touch Basic/Profile Test Strips

 

* Lot Numbers 272894A, 2619932 or 2606340

* Multiple Languages- English, Greek and Portuguese text on the

outer carton

* Limited to 50-Count One Touch (Basic/Profile) Test Strip packages

 

Counterfeit One Touch Ultra Test Strips

 

* Lot Number 2691191

* Multiple Languages- English and French text on the outer carton

* Limited to 50-Count One Touch Ultra Test Strip packages

 

LifeScan alerted FDA of the counterfeit test strips. The agency is

investigating the matter.

 

LifeScan is alerting the public via a press release and is notifying

pharmacists, distributors, and wholesalers through a letter. In its

letter, the company is advising customers to contact their original

source of supply for restitution. For more information, visit:

www.GenuineOneTouch.com.

 

FDA is alerting its Counterfeit Alert Network partners, a coalition of

healthcare professional, consumer and trade associations, who have

agreed to further disseminate this important information in a timely

and effective manner.

 

Any adverse reactions experienced with the use of this product, and/or

quality problems should also be reported to the FDA's MedWatch Program

by phone at 1-800-FDA-1088, by fax at 1-800-FDA-0178, by mail at

MedWatch, HF-2, FDA, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD, 20852-9787, or

through the MedWatch Web site at www.fda.gov/medwatch.