Tag: Recalls

Bluefusion Recall

FDA Announces Voluntary BLUEFUSION Recall Due to Discovery of 6 Contaminants

by Staff Post, posted in Drug News, Recalls

BLUEFUSION RECALL

As of March 21st, 2019 the FDA has announced a recall of Bluefusion capsules. Ata Int. Inc., is voluntarily recalling all lots of Bluefusion that are still within their expiration dates. If you have any Bluefusion in your medicine cabinet, make sure you read the full announcement by the FDA. This Bluefusion recall is a serious matter that shouldn’t be ignored if you are taking the supplement.

What is BLUEFUSION?

Bluefusion is marketed as an ‘All-Natural Testosterone Booster and Male Enhancement Pill” that “improves erectile function” in men. It was supposed to offer an all-natural alternative to taking prescription medications. Many users reported it being a highly-effective alternative to prescription medications for ED. This Bluefusion recall raises some questions about the real reasons why so many people found it effective.

Looking at Bluefusion’s website, it lists a number of active ingredients, but it especially highlights the key ingredients Cordyceps Sinensis, Aged Garlic Extract, Codonopsis and its proprietary formula of pro-sexual ingredients. 

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Why the BLUEFUSION Recall?

The FDA did an analysis of Bluefusion and found it was tainted with sildenafil, tadalafil, desmethyl carbodenafil, dithiodesmethyl carbodenafil, scutellarin and daidzein.

Sildenafil also goes by the name Viagra and tadalafil by the brand name Cialis. Desmethyl carbodenafil and dithiodesmethyl carbodenafil are PDE-5 Inhibitors Analogs which also work like Viagra and Cialis.

The presence of these drugs is a problem, because first they were undeclared – which the FDA doesn’t allow. Second, many people buying Bluefusion took it expecting an all-herbal, all-natural remedy. Third, the drugs can interact with other drugs an individual may be on. For instance, the FDA notes that the “active ingredients in Bluefusion can interact with nitrates found in some prescription drugs and may lower blood pressure to dangerous and life-threatening levels.”

 

What to do if you have BLUEFUSION capsules?

First, read the FDA’s announcement here. Make sure you follow their advice and talk to a physician if you’ve experienced any problems related to this drug.

Second, follow the FDA’s instructions (listed below) on how to contact Ata Int. Inc.

“Consumers with questions regarding this recall can contact Ata Int. Inc. by 657-888-4041 or bluefusioncorp@gmail.com on Monday through Friday between the hours of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pacific Standard Time for instructions on the disposition process. Consumers who purchased the product should stop consuming it and dispose it”.

This writer and this publication have nothing against supplements. At the Thrifty Patient we always caution that people should speak with their primary care physician before starting any supplments and do always do their own careful research. However, recalls like this Bluefusion Recall are alarming and raise numerous questions about the safety of herbal options.

What are your thoughts on this Bluefusion recall? Are you concerned that ATA Int Inc., marketed Bluefusion as an all-natural alternative? We’d love to hear more in the comments section below!

Losartan Recall

Losartan Recall Expanded by 40 Lots

by Staff Post, posted in Can't Miss, Drug News, Topics

Tainted Losartan Recalled Due to Presence of Carcinogen

The FDA has announced a voluntary recall of Losartan Potassium by Legacy Pharmaceutical Packaging, LLC. This recall is an expansion of the earlier recall and due to the presence of trace amounts of a chemical called NMBA – a potential carcinogen.

Losartan Recall
Image Source: FDA.gov

What is Losartan?

Losartan is a commonly prescribed medication for high blood pressure. While it didn’t make our cut for the 10 most common drugs prescribed in the US, it’s not far behind at #12.

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Why this Losartan Recall?

Trace amounts of a chemical called NMBA was found by the manufacturers, Camber Pharmaceuticals, Inc in the Losartan. NMBA is known as a nitrosamine, which is a carcinogen linked to esophageal and gastric cancers. In previous reports the FDA has indicated that the level of risk to individual patients is very low, but it’s still high enough to warrant the recall.

How to Tell if Your Losartan was Recalled

You should head to the FDA’s website and look at their newest list of Losartan recalls. The latest recall was this expansion to 40 repacked lots. Just keep in mind that this is an expansion of the previous Losartan recall that’s been ongoing for several months.

Recalled Accu-Check Aviva Test Strips

2018 Recalled Accu-Check Aviva Test Strips: Check Now to See if You Still Have Any!

by Staff Post, posted in Medical Devices, Recalls, Topics

Recalled Accu-Check Aviva Test Strips – Due to Cracked Reagent

About one year ago, March 7th 2018, Accu-Check issued a Class 2 Recall for it’s Aviva Plus test strips. These recalled accu-check aviva test strips have a self-life of about 18 months according to the diabetes council. If you use the accu-check monitors and have any old test strips it might be a good idea double check the lot numbers.

It’s important to stay on top of drug recalls. We have a great article about 5 ways to get breaking news on FDA recalls!

Recalled Accu-Check Aviva Test Strips
These lot numbers are the not the recalled numbers. This image was supplied by Roche as an example of how to find the lot numbers.


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Why the Recall?

This recall was due to a product defect. The strips themselves either had problems where it was…

  • Hard to apply a blood sample.
  • The strips weren’t being detected by the glucomonitor.
  • An inaccurate result was shown after testing.

What to do if you have a recalled lot

Should I Be Cautious of Accu-Check Products in the Future?

Since the recall, there have been no new recalls or safety alerts regarding the Roche Glucometers or the test strips. Also due to the recall being limited to these four lots, I feel confident that this was an isolated event. Still, you should keep on top of recalls and alerts. If you don’t feel like you can trust the Accu-Touch product line, watch for our upcoming post on the 4 Ways to get a Free Glucometer!

Photo by freestocks.org on Unsplash

5 Simple Ways to Learn About Drug Recalls

Featured by Staff Post, posted in Drug News, Guides, Topics

Drug Recalls Should Never be Ignored

Drug recalls happen all the time – are you absolutely certain that none of your prescriptions have been recalled? Do you know how to find out if they were? While some recalls may be issued for drugs problems that pose little risk to humans, other recalls can be for much much more serious issues, and no recall should ever be ignored. Here are the top ways to learn about potential lurking dangers in your medicine cabinet!

 

1. FDA Website

The FDA is the top source for learning about drug recalls

 

Source: Wikipedia Commons

The first and best source of information is the FDA. Not only do they have names and dates, they also give you the reasons why the drug was recalled. Unfortunately some of the reasons the FDA gives are little difficult to understand. While you’re on the FDA’s site, you can learn more about safety alerts.

 

GENERIC VS. BRAND NAME: THE SHOCKING PRICE DIFFERENCE OF THE 10 MOST COMMON DRUGS

 

2. Recalls.gov

This is another great resource for all recalls, even those not related to medication. The prescription drug tab on this website links back to the FDA. However, recalls.gov is so much more. You can learn about all sorts of recalls, from food to drugs to boats! Definitely worth bookmarking.

 

3. FDA’s Recall Twitter

 

Photo by Con Karampelas on Unsplash

I bet you didn’t even know the FDA had a twitter. Let alone one just for recalls! Follow the FDA’s recall twitter to get some of the fastest notifications about drug recalls.

 

4. WebMD – A great source for info on prescription medication recalls.

WebMD is a great source of information about specific recalls. For example, they have detailed information about 2018’s blood pressure medication recall. You may need to do some hunting on the WebMD website to find what you need. Also, they might not have information on every recall. Still, it’s a tremendous source of info if you can find what you’re after.

 

5. Your Doctor or Pharmacist

So far we’ve listed a few ways to learn about recalls by seeking out the information from sources like the FDA. However, many times your doctor or pharmacist will reach out and let you know about recalls. For this reason it’s really important that you keep your contact information up-to-date and check your voicemails. This is especially important if you’re helping elderly parents keep track of their drugs.

 

Have you had any bad experiences with drug recalls? Do you know of other ways to learn about recalls? We’d love to get your input in the comments below!