Urgent Product Recall Issued for Blood Thinner Test Strips
Alere Inc has issued an urgent but voluntary Class I product recall for their Alere INRatio2 PT/INR Professional Test Strips due to patient complaints about inaccuracy.
Reportedly, Alere has received nine reports of significant adverse events, which prompted the product recall. Three of those incidents involved bleeding associated with patient deaths.
Patients who take the oral anticoagulant warfarin (brand name Coumadin) reported having significantly higher INR’s – readings of clotting agents in their blood which would inform physician whether or not to adjust the dose – than when the blood test was run at a central laboratory.
If the INR reads too high, patients’ doctors will recommend a higher dose of blood thinners, which could lead to bleeding incidents in patients who cannot clot.
The company said that they don’t know why their test strips have failed to provide an accurate reading, so the product recall is part of an aggressive and appropriate measure to notify patients and doctors about the problem.
Defective Product Recalls and Personal Injury in South Carolina
Every year, thousands of consumers sustain serious injuries from defective products, and improper or delayed product recalls. Many of these injuries could be avoided if the manufacturers or distributors of these products took additional steps to ensure consumer safety, such as issuing product recalls in a timely fashion. Although any product could be subject to a recall due to improper testing, some of the most common product recalls are for automobiles and automotive parts, drugs and medical devices, and children’s toys.
There are a number of reasons that defective products make it to our shelves:
- Defective manufacturing
- Inadequate testing
- Design defects
- Marketing Misrepresentation
To protect yourself and your family, it’s important to know what products have been recalled because they are defective or unsafe. Federal agencies such as the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) and the CPSC (U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission) frequently issue product recalls for medical devices, drugs, and products that may be harmful to consumers.
Consumers that have been harmed by defective products such as drugs, medical devices, or other products, may be eligible to receive legal remedies. Such legal remedies, or damages, may include compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, loss of physical capacity, pain, suffering, and mental anguish. Punitive damages are also available in many jurisdictions to punish defendants in those cases involving particularly egregious conduct which demonstrates a reckless or wanton disregard for the safety of the public.
The Strom Law Firm Protects Citizens Harmed by Delayed Defective Product Recalls
The attorneys at the Strom Law Firm keep a close watch on recalls of dangerous and defective product recalls in the US. We aim to protect our clients’ health and safety, and hold manufacturers to the highest possible standard of safety. If you or a loved one have experienced severe, life-limiting side effects from a defective product or drug, and believe that your pain stems from a product recall that came too late, you may be entitled to compensation. The Strom Law Firm can help. We offer free, confidential consultations to discuss the facts of your case, so contact us today. 803.252.4800.
