imago
The drug Remdesivir, now used against Corona, is being recalled! The recall warns of glass particles that can cause a stroke and even death
Tens of thousands of vials recalled
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Gilead Sciences Inc. is recalling tens of thousands of vials of its COVID-19 drug remdesivir because of glass contaminants, warning that they can cause adverse health effects such as stroke or even death.
The company said Friday it was issuing a voluntary recall of two batches of the coronavirus product in the U.S. after receiving a customer complaint and finding that some vials were contaminated.
The recall affects up to 55,000 vials, which is enough to treat 11,000 hospitalized patients with COVID-19, company spokesman Chris Ridley told Bloomberg. Ridley added that the company’s recall will not affect global supplies of the drug.
Remdesivir recall warns of glass particles that can cause stroke, even death
Gilead Sciences Inc. is recalling tens of thousands of vials of its COVID-19 drug remdesivir because of glass contaminants, warning that they can cause adverse health effects such as stroke or even death.
The company said Friday it was issuing a voluntary recall of two batches of the coronavirus product in the U.S. after receiving a customer complaint and finding that some vials were contaminated.
The recall affects up to 55,000 vials, which is enough to treat 11,000 hospitalized patients with COVID-19, company spokesman Chris Ridley told Bloomberg. Ridley added that the company’s recall will not affect global supplies of the drug.
Gilead said Friday that it has not yet received reports of adverse health events related to the recall, but it warned that contamination with glass could have serious consequences.
“Administration of an injectable product containing glass particles can cause local irritation or swelling. If the glass particles enter the blood vessels, they can travel to various organs and block blood vessels in the heart, lungs or brain, which can lead to stroke and even death,” the company said.
Gilead said it is now working to notify hospital pharmacies of the recall and facilitate the return of all affected remdesivir treatments sold under the brand name Veklury.
“Hospitals that have Veklury that is being recalled should stop using the affected lots and return the product vials as instructed,” the company added. “Consumers should contact their physician or healthcare provider if they have experienced any problems that may be related to the ingestion or use of this drug.”
The antiviral treatment was originally developed to treat Ebola and was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in October 2020 for the treatment of hospitalized COVID-19 patients. The treatment is approved for patients who are at least 12 years old and weigh at least 40 kilograms and is “distributed in single-dose clear powder vials and reconstituted at the point of use,” the company said.
According to The Hill, a study in September showed that remdesivir can reduce hospitalizations in high-risk individuals by up to 87 percent when the virus is caught early.
“It is the first antiviral treatment proven to help patients hospitalized with COVID-19 recover faster – a significant benefit for patients and their families, healthcare providers and hospitals, and society as a whole,” Gilead Chief Medical Officer Merdad Parsey previously said in a letter.
Contamination can have severe consequences
.
Gilead said Friday that it has not yet received any reports of adverse health events related to the recall, but it warned that contamination with glass could have serious consequences.
“Administration of an injectable product containing glass particles can cause local irritation or swelling. If the glass particles enter the blood vessels, they can travel to various organs and block blood vessels in the heart, lungs or brain, which can lead to stroke and even death,” the company said.
Gilead said it is now working to notify hospital pharmacies of the recall and facilitate the return of all affected remdesivir treatments sold under the brand name Veklury.
Hospitals should stop using the drug
.
“Hospitals that have Veklury that is being recalled should stop using the affected lots and return the product vials as instructed,” the company added. “Consumers should contact their physician or healthcare provider if they have experienced any problems that may be related to the ingestion or use of this drug product.”
The antiviral treatment was originally developed to treat Ebola and was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in October 2020 for the treatment of hospitalized COVID-19 patients. The treatment is approved for patients who are at least 12 years old and weigh at least 40 kilograms and is “distributed in single-dose clear powder vials and reconstituted at the point of use,” the company said.
According to The Hill, a study in September showed that remdesivir can reduce hospitalizations in high-risk individuals by up to 87 percent when the virus is caught early.
“It is the first antiviral treatment proven to help patients hospitalized with COVID-19 recover faster – a significant benefit for patients and their families, healthcare providers and hospitals, and society as a whole,” Gilead Chief Medical Officer Merdad Parsey previously said in a letter shared with