Warning

2006-101
October 19, 2006
For immediate release

Health Canada warns consumers about counterfeit Lifescan blood glucose test strips

OTTAWA - Health Canada is warning Canadians that certain Lifescan, Inc., One Touch Brand Test Strips, Basic/Profile and Ultra, sold in the United States are counterfeit. The counterfeit blood glucose test strips could potentially give incorrect blood glucose values, either too high or too low, which could result in a patient taking too much or too little insulin, leading to serious injury or death.

The test strips can be used with various models of LifeScan, Inc., One Touch Brand Blood Glucose monitors.

The counterfeit test strips can be identified by lot numbers located on the outer carton and vial. The lot numbers for the counterfeit One Touch Basic/Profile test strips are 272894A, 2619932, 2615211, and 2606340, and for the One Touch Ultra test strips the lot numbers are 2691191 and 2691261.

Health Canada is not aware of any distribution of the counterfeit version in Canada, however Canadians may have purchased the product while traveling in the United States.

Consumers who have the counterfeit test strips should stop using them, replace them immediately and are also advised to contact their health care provider.

The counterfeit test strips were distributed by Medical Plastic Devices, Inc., Quebec, Canada and Champion Sales, Inc., Brooklyn, N.Y. to American pharmacies and stores located primarily in Ohio, New York, Florida, Maryland and Missouri.

Health Canada and the United States Food and Drug Administration were notified of the issue by Lifescan Canada Ltd, the Canadian importer, after the company received a complaint in the United States and determined that the product associated with the complaint was counterfeit.

Health Canada also advises Canadians to contact the Health Products and Food Branch Inspectorate at 1-800-267-9675 and/or Lifescan Canada Ltd. (Customer inquires) at 1-800-663-5521 or Media inquiries (1-604-293-2266) if they think they have a counterfeit version of the Lifescan glucose test strips.

To date, no adverse events suspected to be associated with the use of this product have been reported to the US Food and Drug Administration or Health Canada.

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Media Inquiries:
Alastair Sinclair
Health Canada
(613) 957-1803

Public Inquiries:
(613) 957-2991
1-866 225-0709