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| FreeStyle InsuLinx blood glucose meter--Courtesy of Abbott |
Abbott ($ABT) is adding to the springtime list of diabetes-related device recalls, this time for a line of its blood glucose meters the company sells in the United States.
Abbott says it is pursuing a voluntary U.S. recall of its FreeStyle InsuLinx blood glucose meters because of a risk that they will give an inaccurate reading "at rare, extremely high blood glucose levels." Abbott stresses that the high level in question--1024 mg/dL--doesn't happen very often, but when it does, the patient needs immediate medical attention. So erring on the side of caution, the company is giving customers access to a software update on their website to solve the problem.
In the interim, or until customers can replace their glucose meter outright, Abbott says it is OK to use FreeStyle InsuLinx. But they should seek medical attention if their symptoms don't match the meter readings.
Earlier this month, the FDA slapped a Class I recall status on Johnson & Johnson's ($JNJ) Animas 2020 insulin pump units, which J&J began recalling over a snafu that could lead to unintended insulin delivery. At the end of March, J&J began recalling a model of its LifeScan glucose meters, over concerns that the device could simply shut down when it encounters dangerously high levels of blood sugar.
- read the release