Safety warnings, alerts and recalls

• drug alerts on defective medicines; 
• medical device alerts and their predecessors; and
• safety warnings and messages about medicines, including letters sent to health professionals.
  

Latest Safety warnings, alerts and recalls

• 20 Aug 2008| Class 4 Drug Alert (Caution in use): Baxter Healthcare Ltd - Brevibloc injection 10mg/ml vials - EL(08)A/12

  We have been informed that batches of Brevibloc vials, distributed since the start of 2008, have been distributed with an error in the Technical Leaflet (TL) document supplied in the pack.

• 15 Aug 2008| Drug procurement advice: Restrictions on the import of unlicensed Melatonin products following the grant of a marketing authorisation for Circadin® 2mg tablets

  We have published advice to clinicians, pharmacists and procurement staff to ensure that only the licensed melatonin product, Circadin ® (Lundbeck), is used wherever possible.

• 12 Aug 2008| MDA/2008/063 - Sonesta 6210 fluoroscopy procedure table manufactured by Stille

  This Medical Device Alert has been issued due to uncontrolled movement of this device caused by a short circuit in the handset.

• 06 Aug 2008| Class 2 Drug Alert (Action within 48 hours): Diverted Product Distributed as Parallel Imports - Celebrex Capsules 100mg supplied and packed for the Libyan market

  We have been informed that some parallel importers have repacked and distributed this Pfizer Ltd product which was supplied for the Libyan market and diverted to the UK. The product was packed in French cartons for export.

• 04 Aug 2008| MDA/2008/062 - Emergency and transport EMS ventilator circuits manufactured by Galemed Corporation and supplied by Smiths Medical

  This Medical Device Alert has been issued further to the MHRA’s Medical Device Alert MDA/2007/080, issued in October 2007, Galemed has expanded its recall to include an additional lot number.

• 04 Aug 2008| MDA/2008/061 - Laboratory analyser - ADVIA Centaur CP immunoassay system, serial number 086-A001-XX, manufactured by Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics

  This Medical Device Alert has been issued as the probe may have failed to dispense sample with no subsequent error message.

• 04 Aug 2008| MDA/2008/060 - Carendo multi-purpose hygiene chair manufactured by Arjo

  This Medical Device Alert has been issued due to a risk of entrapment of genitalia.
  

• 01 Aug 2008| Safety information on medicines for healthcare professionals sent in July 2008

  A list of letters sent to healthcare professionals in July 2008, to inform of new safety information and advice.

• 01 Aug 2008| Monthly list of MDAs - 2008

  A month-by-month list of Medical Device Alerts that we have issued in 2008.
  
  

• 31 Jul 2008| MDA/2008/059 - Blood glucose meters – Ascensia Contour (5-second) manufactured by Bayer Diabetes Care

  This Medical Device Alert has been issued as affected devices may show falsely high readings when testing samples from neonates less than 24 hours old.  This may mask hypoglycaemia.