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BD Viva supply/ manufacture issues

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Ivostas66

Ivostas66

Well-Known Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
Just popped to pick up my script from the pharmacy this morning. I was told that there is a shortage of BD Viva needles due to 'manufacturing issues'. The pharmacist said that this is the phrase that they use for anything from a tooling problem to difficulties shipping them. I have been given the BD micro-fine instead, which he said was a much better needle and that I should speak to my doctor about a permanent switch as this issue is not going to improve any time soon. As these are the most widely used needles and are relatively inexpensive in comparison to others, they are very popular with doctors - I am guessing a shortage could cause big problems. I did ask if he thought there was a shipping container stuck somewhere since the UKs withdrawal from the EU, due to red tape and he said "I couldn't possibly comment..."

Anyway, has anyone else heard anything about this?
 
Not this specifically, but I have heard the phrase ‘manufacturing issues’ several times over the years, including on products where I have co-incidentally been invited to a thing, or been in email contact with the manufacturer, who emphatically confirmed that there was no manufacturing problem...

So I now treat this as an indication of more of a supply chain / ordering or delivery mix-up with the wholesaler or pharmacy supplier, rather than anything more serious.

Hopefully either they will get some in, or you can get switched to an alternative brand which suits you as well as the BD Vivas.
 
Except once about 20 years ago when my pharmacist (most of whose siblings work for the NHS either clinically or associated with it, like himself) told me he'd been invited to view a manufacturer of BG test strips in Malaysia, so he went and watched a line of 6 machines churning them out, and knowing the price of most of em, saw very cheap ones being produced alongside very expensive ones. At the time one such producer's premises had had a serious fire - and it WAS a manufacturing issue - until they could move over to another such facility, as there are loads of them.
 
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This thread is now closed. Please contact Anna DUK, Ieva DUK or everydayupsanddowns if you would like it re-opened.
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