Individuals in Ireland with diabetes may be at a serious risk of injecting themselves with dangerously high levels of insulin, due to an error in glucose monitoring kits recently discovered.
According to the authorities, some 4,100 boxes of test strips, which are directly used to measure glucose levels in the blood of diabetics, are being recalled due to a manufacturing error which could give a false reading. The strips were part of a faulty batch of GlucoMen LX Sensor test strips.
The strips, which are used as home kits, may result in an overestimation of the diabetic’s blood glucose level, which could potentially result in them injecting themselves with too much insulin.
The affected strips were reportedly from lot number 3212214249, and were supplied in Ireland between November 2012 and January 2013. The manufacturers involved in producing the strips do not believe that the strips are still in circulation. This is presumably because diabetic patients use test strips frequently.
Patients with strips from the affected lot should immediately return them to their pharmacy or distribution center. The government agency is in the process of notifying customers. So far there have not been any reports of adverse affects in connection with the faulty strips.
Although this error applies to patients who take insulin to treat diabetes, and may be considered a pharmacy error, it may additionally properly be considered a product liability type of case, as the manufacturing error made the testing strips unreasonably dangerous for the consumer end users. Under product liability claims, manufacturers are liable for the harm that they cause consumers, because they are required to ensure that their products are safe for consumption and/or equipped with the proper warning labels regarding potential safety concerns.
However, it is also an excellent illustration of a scenario in which a patient should trust his or her intuition in order to prevent deadly pharmacy errors. Diabetics who maintain good control over their glucose levels likely have a sense of when their sugars are at very high, or conversely very low, levels. If you sense that something is not right with your glucose monitoring system, seek the advice of your medical care professional. Do not be afraid to double check.
If you have been affected by a similar situation, in which a product that you took was either not as described (incorrectly manufactured), or otherwise dangerous, and as a result you were harmed, you may be entitled to compensation for the injuries you sustained, and other potentially related expenses, such as pain and suffering, medical bills, lost wages at work, etc.
If you or a loved one has been injured or died as a result of a medication or pharmacy dispensing error, contact the experienced Maryland personal injury attorneys at Lebowitz & Mzhen Personal Injury Lawyers. Our lawyers have extensive experience in advocating on behalf of individuals who have been harmed by medication errors, whether they were improperly prescribed, dispensed, or administered. Contact us today by calling us at (800) 654-1949 or through our website, in order to schedule your complimentary initial consultation.
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