This Is MS Multiple Sclerosis Community: Knowledge & Support

[Wendigo]

I got an email yesterday from Bayer telling me to throw out the Triad alcohol prep pads in each Betaseron individual injection kit I have due to potential microbial contamination. I bought alcohol and cotton balls today to use instead of the pads. The pharmacist there knows me and when I asked about it she said she got a certified letter and knew nothing more than I did.

I thought alcohol killed bacteria. The pads are packaged sealed in a kit together with all parts to be put together for the injection. Is this a kinda sorta recall? Wouldn't it make sense all kits should be recalled if they were really concerned?

http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm239219.htm

[Stabilo]

I just found this out today from a friend!! It would have been nice for Shared Solutions to contact me......scary stuff......glad they care about my health

[Wendigo]

I can't just toss a bag or box of Triad alcohol products like a hospital or doctor's office can. I got a bottle of alcohol and cotton balls but since two prepackaged Triad pads are included in each single use Betaseron kit, I can't figure out how that will eliminate existing bacterial contamination on other parts of the kit, or prevent me from contaminating them as I assemble the parts for use. I'm not a germ freak but this recall seems kind of wonky.

[Stabilo]

"Wonky" indeed........Mine are a little different, as I take Copaxone and the pads come wrapped separately in the box from my injections, so it's easy for me to throw them out, but your situation makes me nervous for those taking Betaseron......I find it kind of an oxy moron that Sterilization pads are contaminated........How does that happen exactly??

[Absentee]

thanks for posting this. this is in fact ridiculous that Teva/Shared Solutions did not reach out to all their users. They can send me a flyer by mail every other week but they can't tell me about this recall? And, FDA, WTF, you can't enforce this action? Never woudl have known if it weren't for this post.

[Wendigo]

Stabilo, you're lucky yours are separate and can be thrown out.

I don't know how much it costs to produce a Betaseron kit but they save a lot of money having the patients replace the alcohol pads vs recall and replacement of the individual kits.

I guess acetaminophen (Tylenol) is a villain now, being removed or reduced in some drugs (Vicodin)and I think a general recall also. How much people had to suffer before it got to this point will never be known.

[RevBarb]

Here are two articles I wrote recently:

http://dearoneshealingministry.blogspot.com/2011/01/contaminated-alcohol-swabs-recalled-in.html re: Triad alcohol prep pads & swabs marketed under numerous brand names in US, Canada and Europe

http://dearoneshealingministry.blogspot.com/2011/01/genentechinjectables-boniva-fuzeon.html re: Triad pads packaged with injectables (including Betaseron)

FYI.
Blessings,
Rev. Barb[/url]