Warning Issued for Stolen Insulin
Date Published: Thursday, August 27th, 2009
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a reminder warning concerning stolen vials of the long-acting insulin, Levemir, which is manufactured by Novo Nordisk Inc. The stolen medication may still be on the market.
Evidence gathered to date suggests that the stolen insulin was not stored and handled properly and may be dangerous for people to use, said the FDA. The agency noted that it has received multiple reports of patients who suffered an adverse event due to poor control of glucose levels after using a vial from one of the stolen lots.
When the FDA first alerted the public to the theft in June, it reported that three lots of Levemir totaling 129,000 vials had been stolen in North Carolina. Sadly, only about two percent of the total amount stolen has been recovered, to date.
The FDA states that it continues to aggressively investigate this matter and is asking for the public’s help in reporting any information regarding these vials to the FDA’s Office of Criminal Investigations (OCI) by calling, toll-free, 1-800-551-3989 or by visiting the OCI Web site at: http://www.fda.gov/ICECI/CriminalInvestigations/default.htm
The agency is also advising patients who use Levemir insulin to:
1. Check your personal supply of insulin to determine if you have Levemir insulin from one of the following lots: XZF0036; XZF0037; XZF0038. The lot number is on the side of the box of insulin and also on the side of the vial.
2. Do not use your Levemir insulin if it is from one of these lots. Replace it with a vial of Levemir insulin from another lot. If you must switch to another brand of insulin for any reason, first contact your health care provider because another insulin product may require adjustments in dosing.
3. Always look at your insulin carefully before using it. Levemir is a clear and colorless solution. The FDA has a link to a photo of the product here.
This entry was posted
on Thursday, August 27th, 2009 at 11:27 am and is filed under Pharmaceuticals.
Warning Issued for Stolen Insulin
Date Published: Thursday, August 27th, 2009
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a reminder warning concerning stolen vials of the long-acting insulin, Levemir, which is manufactured by Novo Nordisk Inc. The stolen medication may still be on the market.
Evidence gathered to date suggests that the stolen insulin was not stored and handled properly and may be dangerous for people to use, said the FDA. The agency noted that it has received multiple reports of patients who suffered an adverse event due to poor control of glucose levels after using a vial from one of the stolen lots.
When the FDA first alerted the public to the theft in June, it reported that three lots of Levemir totaling 129,000 vials had been stolen in North Carolina. Sadly, only about two percent of the total amount stolen has been recovered, to date.
The FDA states that it continues to aggressively investigate this matter and is asking for the public’s help in reporting any information regarding these vials to the FDA’s Office of Criminal Investigations (OCI) by calling, toll-free, 1-800-551-3989 or by visiting the OCI Web site at: http://www.fda.gov/ICECI/CriminalInvestigations/default.htm
The agency is also advising patients who use Levemir insulin to:
1. Check your personal supply of insulin to determine if you have Levemir insulin from one of the following lots: XZF0036; XZF0037; XZF0038. The lot number is on the side of the box of insulin and also on the side of the vial.
2. Do not use your Levemir insulin if it is from one of these lots. Replace it with a vial of Levemir insulin from another lot. If you must switch to another brand of insulin for any reason, first contact your health care provider because another insulin product may require adjustments in dosing.
3. Always look at your insulin carefully before using it. Levemir is a clear and colorless solution. The FDA has a link to a photo of the product here.
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This entry was posted
on Thursday, August 27th, 2009 at 11:27 am and is filed under Pharmaceuticals.
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