More recalls for Johnson & Johnson (J&J).
The New Brunswick, N.J., based healthcare giant, which has been plagued recently by a seemingly endless stream of product recalls, has recalled five lots of potentially leaky insulin pump cartridges that the company said could lead to serious health problems and death.
The company's Animas unit, the maker insulin pumps and their associated cartridges, which are used by diabetics, issued a letter to patients last month alerting users that some of the cartridges may leak, resulting in delivery of less insulin than intended.
Insufficient insulin can cause high blood sugar and a potentially fatal condition called diabetic ketoacidosis, which can be fatal. A leaking cartridge also could cause the pump to fail to sound an alarm if there is blockage in the infusion set, Animas said.The affected 2.0 mL insulin cartridges were shipped in the United States between Nov. 30 and Jan. 4, according to the letter posted on the Animas website that listed the specific recalled lot numbers.
Animas also informed physicians and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration about the recall.