Taiwan's FDA is warning providers across the island that they may be using counterfeit medical equipment, following the seizure of thousands of unlicensed plates and screws distributed by a Taipei medical device company.
The China Post, the Central News Agency in China and others are reporting the news.
Taiwanese prosecutors seized 13,000 items made by the Stephen Fan Trading Co., alleged to have made and distributed bogus plates and screws, only to peddle them using the undisclosed name of a U.S. medical devicemaker. The news affects about 100 hospitals in the region, according to the story.
Regulators are taking cautious steps to address the issue. According to the story, they are warning providers to verify that their medical equipment is approved for use. But the FDA there isn't pursuing a product recall just yet. That could come later, as prosecutors must focus first on determining whether Stephen Fan Trading Co. violated regulations.
The problem of counterfeit medical devices is a global issue. Earlier this summer, for example, U.K. regulators collected more than 400 counterfeit thermometers in raids around the country. And regulators there continue to crack down on counterfeit devices and drugs.
- read the CNA story
- check out The China Post's take