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MHRA Press Release - 27th March 2009 Counterfeit needles

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rossi_mac

Well-Known Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
Hi

I was sent this by a colleagues wife who works in the pharmasuticle industry thought I'd share with everyone, hope that okay admin.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is today warning diabetics about a counterfeit batch of insulin pen needles that are circulating in the UK.
The counterfeit needle details are: Novofine Needles 31G (0.25mm x 6mm) lot number 08J02S labelled as manufactured by Novo Nordisk Ltd. People who have these insulin pen needles should stop using them. They can return any affected needles to their pharmacist where they should also be able to obtain replacements.
There is no assurance that these counterfeit needles are manufactured to the appropriate quality standards. The possible consequences of using these counterfeit needles could include adverse reactions; pain and discomfort; infection and difficulty in attaching the needle to the pen injection device.
MHRA Director of Device Technology and Safety, Clive Bray said, ?Please check the Novofine needles that you are using. If you are unsure about the needles you have, then please visit your pharmacist as they can assist you. Alternatively contact Novo Nordisk Ltd.
?The MHRA has issued a Medical Device Alert (MDA) today to healthcare professionals including pharmacists and specialist diabetic health workers. They have been asked to quarantine any affected stock and to stop supplying the affected needles.
?We encourage people to report faulty medical devices and suspected counterfeits to the MHRA by calling our Adverse Incident Hotline on 020 7084 3080 or via our website at www.mhra.gov.uk.?
 
Yes, checked mine as I'd recently got 200 new ones - all OK. What a bizarre thing to counterfeit though - whatever happened to watches, perfume and dvds?🙄
 
Yes, checked mine as I'd recently got 200 new ones - all OK. What a bizarre thing to counterfeit though - whatever happened to watches, perfume and dvds?🙄

It is quite shocking, how do they even make that much money out of this?!
 
It is quite shocking, how do they even make that much money out of this?!

I'm guessing that the mark up on these things is so great that the cost of manufacture is actually very small. If they then cut costs even further by making an inferior product they get even more money. Having said that, there must be big set up costs involved in creating a manufacturing facility - I'm not an engineer, so not sure how easy and flexible manufacturing plant is these days to just make up any old object.
 
Far Eastern labour costs v low. Several counterfeit drugs got through the net last year and a few years ago important aircraft parts - like the bolts securing engines to the wing!!
 
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