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Tag Archives: medication error

Breaking: McNeil Consumer Healthcare pleads guilty in contaminated medicine case

McNeil, a subsidiary of the pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson, is the medication company that makes several popular over-the-counter medications, including Tylenol, Motrin and Benadryl. The company has pled guilty in a federal court to charges or improper disclosure in a case where they were accused of manufacturing and selling dangerous medication that was tainted with metal particles. As part of the settlement, the medication manufacturer will pay $25 Million in fines. The lawsuit details show that the company was apparently aware of improper quality control that led to production and sale of dangerous product. Plaintiffs explain that the company refused to investigate and correct the problems, despite having been warned by consumers who had found obvious contaminants in bottles of their liquid medicines. Court records show that the contamination was later identified as metal and toxic chemicals that were not supposed to be there. It is believed that these dangerous chemicals made their way into the medications during the manufacturing process, possibly due to negligent maintenance. Consumer advocates say that the metals may be a toxic health hazard, especially for babies and young children, the population that these polluted medications were intended for. Some say that the ingestion of these dangerous chemicals can lead to developmental injuries, such as brain damage and learning disabilities.

The same pharmaceutical company has gone through a series of product recalls for other tainted medications over the past several years. A New York City law firm points out that this case appears to be another in a series of production and medication errors made by the company. It raises the questions of product liability and endangering the public health. Consumers who believe that their health may have been adversely affected by these dangerous medicines should see their doctor for evaluation. In addition, an ill or injured consumer has the right to speak to a top injury lawyer for assistance. You can see further details about the federal court case and guilty plea here.

Illustrative Photo Credit: Mike Mozart [License]

Doctors concerned about glucose test strip errors

Federal officials have issued a warning about potential medical mistakes that can occur from using a particular blood sugar test strip. The glucose test strips, commonly used by patients with diabetes, have been recalled due to incorrect results that have been occurring from their usage. The strips are used by placing them into an electronic glucose monitor with a small sample of the patient’s blood placed onto the strip. The lab test results that come back from the electronic monitors have been showing errors, usually indicating abnormally high sugar levels by mistake. According to reports, the medical-grade diabetic strips have been distributed in multiple regions, including the New York area. Consumers and medical professionals alike have expressed concern regarding the medical errors that may come from this dangerous situation. Patients and doctors make health care decisions based on the results obtained from the test, such as how much medication to take or even which medicine to prescribe. A doctor’s mistake can easily occur if the test result comes back high and the doctor or patient doesn’t properly recognize the signs and symptoms of high or low blood sugar. The product recall comes with a warning that medication errors or prescription mistakes must be considered for all patients that have been using the affected batch of incorrect blood test strips. Some have warned the public that serious adverse effects, including illness, disability and wrongful death can all be associated with the use of damaged medical supplies. The danger involved, especially for those with diabetes or risk of sugar abnormalities, is a serious one that should be discussed with your doctor or health professional. Consumers, doctors and nurses are advised to read up more about this medical product recall here.

Photo by Biswarup Ganguly (Own work) [GFDL or CC-BY-3.0], via Wikimedia Commons