From cars to catheters, it seems like the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the Food and Drug Administration, and other agencies issue new recalls every day, but medical recalls outpaced all others in the first quarter of 2012.
According to the ExpertRECALL Quarterly Index, medical devices and pharmaceuticals were recalled more than any other consumer product over the last three months. Medical device recalls increased 508% increase since the fourth quarter of 2011, ExpertRecall says. Medical device recalls reached a five-quarter high affecting 82 million units. In comparison, the fourth quarter recalls were uncharacteristically low.
“What is more alarming is the number of companies who are becoming repeat offenders and the large increase of units these recalls are affecting,” the ExpertRECALL report said. “With more and more Americans relying on these devices to maintain and improve their health and life, companies would be smart to reiterate their number-one priority – consumer and patient safety. Especially given that the media has been paying close attention to medical device safety and scrutinizing the government’s approval process. FDA has even responded to such criticisms by publicly reassuring its dedication to device safety.”
Pharmaceuticals saw fewer number of recalls this quarter, but a surge in the number recalled units was at a five-quarter high with more than 150 million units affected.
Conversely, it was a good quarter for children’s products and food recalls. Nursery equipment, supplies and toys reached a five-quarter low with 10 recalls in the first quarter and only 1.1 million units affected. CPSC reported 251 safety incidents related to the recalls.
CPSC recalled 78 consumer products with a total of 35 million units affected. Those recalled products were responsible for 1,129 safety incidents and 92 injuries.
p>-Follow Elise Rambaud Marrion, @emarrion_cmn.
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