AP: Diabetics warned about fake test strips

[Eugene]

Posted on Sat, Oct. 14, 2006

Diabetics warned about fake test strips
Associated Press

WASHINGTON - The government warned diabetics Friday to watch for counterfeit versions
of test strips commonly used to monitor blood sugar levels. The test strips, for use
in glucose monitors made by a Johnson & Johnson company, were distributed nationwide,
the Food and Drug Administration said in a public alert.

The phony test strips are for use with various models of LifeScan Inc.'s OneTouch brand
of blood glucose monitors. LifeScan is part of New Brunswick, N.J.-based Johnson & Johnson.

The counterfeit test strips could give incorrect blood glucose values, leading patients
to take too little or too much insulin and suffer injury or death, the FDA said. The agency
said it hasn't received any such reports.

-snip-

The fakes were distributed nationwide but primarily in Ohio, New York, Florida, Maryland and
Missouri by Medical Plastic Devices Inc., of Quebec, Canada, and Champion Sales Inc., of
Brooklyn, N.Y., the FDA said.

-snip-

Full article: http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/politics/15755023.htm

[Poppyseedman]

1. When they find these scumbags who did this,

prison would be too good.

What type of people scam diabetes?

[Zorra]

8. What type of people scam diabetes? Good republican businessmen,

undoubtedly.

Look at the track record, from Bu*h, Cheney, Delay, and Ney to Ken Lay and Abramoff and Noe...it's the republican disease.

[Eurobabe]

2. Just dandy. This is a disgrace.

[iamjoy]

3. Oh, The RWers Will Love This

use it as another excuse not to import prescription drugs from Canada. We can't trust them, blah blah.

Please don't annoy or inconvenience them by pointing out trivial little facts. The RWers don't like it when facts interfere with their theory.

[Kagemusha]

4. Didn't the location read New Brunswick, *N.J.*?

I know there's a Canadian province by the name New Brunswick though. Canadian locations seem part of the distribution but, I was curious that you might have misread the New Brunswick part as indicating this originates from Canada (as a person could easily do).

[iamjoy]

5. Stop With The Facts

you are ruining the theory!

besides, Medical Plastic Devices Inc is in Quebec. It seems like we both screwed up on this one.

[MADem]

6. Oooops, one touch changes everything....NT

[boobooday]

7. Big Bucks there . . .

I'm insulin dependent. This is huge money. These test strips run about 50 cents a piece. The motivation must be to get some of that good health care cake.

On a related subject, I was diagnosed almost thirty years ago, and since then, I've seen diabetics become a 'market segment.' The goofy brand names are a riot. All the pointy things I have to stick myself with have "soft" or "sof" in their product names.

Ultra soft really sharp flesh-piercing device!

[Nikia]

9. Sounds like a quality control issue to me

Unfortunately, it happens all the time in a variety of industries. When it happens in the medical industry, however, there is a much bigger cause for concern.

[Gold Metal Flake]

10. We don't need the socialist FDA, the market will sort this out.

Regulation is anti-democratic. The market should be trusted to weed out faulty products. Eliminate the FDA, stop stealing taxes from the people and those who might buy faulty test strips will tell others and the market will respond. If only people would wake up and understand how the free market is the superior way.


:sarcasm:

[Lurking Dem]

11. This is going to kill someone.

The last thing I need is to be taking insulin that I don't require. How long before someone dies in insulin shock or crashes their car into somebody?