Different manufacturer, same problem. Another company is recalling painkiller patches because of a flaw that could cause patients or caregivers to overdose on the fentanyl drug inside.
The new recall covers 14 lots of patches sold by Actavis; they have that company's name and its former name, Abrika Pharmaceuticals, on their packaging. Actavis said its patches have a "foldover defect" that might cause leaks. Last week, PriCara, a division of Johnson & Johnson withdrew batches of its Duragesic fentanyl patches. In the latter case, some of the patches had slits in the drug reservoir, leaking fentanyl into the packaging.
Quite a coincidence. Or did the news of J&J's recall alert Actavis to the possibility of a design flaw in its own product?
- see Actavis' release [1]
- see the news [2] in the Washington Post
Related Article:
Millions of fentanyl patches recalled. Report [3]
Links:
[1] http://www.fiercebiotech.com/press-releases/actavis-recalls-certain-fentanyl-patches-us-precaution
[2] http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/18/AR2008021800806.html
[3] http://www.fiercepharma.com/story/millions-of-fentanyl-patches-recalled/2008-02-13?utm_medium=nl&utm_source=link