Indian pharma recalls eye drops linked to infection death in US

India

oi-Deepika S

EzriCare
is
the
latest
pharmaceutical
product
from
the
country
to
land
under
scrutiny
after
dozens
of
deaths
among
children
in
Gambia
and
Uzbekistan
last
year
linked
to
cough
syrups.

New
Delhi,
Feb
03:
Global
Pharma,
an
Indian
company
that
manufactures
over-the-counter
eyedrops
said
that
it
was
recalling
the
product,
EzriCare
Artificial
Tears
after
it
was
linked
to
possible
contamination.

The
Centers
for
Disease
Control
and
Prevention
(CDC)
is
testing
unopened
bottles
of
EzriCare
Artificial
Tears
eye
drops,
manufactured
by
Chennai-based
Global
Pharma
Healthcare,
while
the
US
Food
and
Drug
Administration
(FDA)
said
it
has
moved
to
restrict
imports
of
products
made
by
the
company.

“FDA
is
warning
consumers
and
health
care
practitioners
not
to
purchase
and
immediately
stop
using
EzriCare
Artificial
Tears
or
Delsam
Pharma’s
Artificial
Tears
due
to
potential
bacterial
contamination.
Using
contaminated
artificial
tears
increases
risk
of
eye
infections
that
could
result
in
blindness
or
death,”
the
agency
said
on
Thursday.

To
date,
there
are
55
reports
of
adverse
events
including
eye
infections,
permanent
loss
of
vision,
and
a
death
with
a
bloodstream
infection.

Use
of
contaminated
artificial
tears
can
result
in
the
risk
of
eye
infections
that
could
result
in
blindness.

Issuing
a
statement,
Global
Pharma
Healthcare
said
the
company
“is
voluntarily
recalling
all
lots
within
expiry
of
their
Artificial
Tears
Lubricant
Eye
Drops,
distributed
by
/EzriCare,
LLC-
and
Delsam
Pharma,
to
the
consumer
level,
due
to
possible
contamination”.

Doctors
around
the
country
have
been
alerted
to
an
unprecedented
outbreak
of
Pseudomonas
aeruginosa,
affecting
at
least
55
people
across
a
dozen
states,
and
at
least
one
death,
CBS
News
reported.

So
far,
at
least
five
of
the
11
patients
who
have
had
infections
directly
in
their
eyes
have
lost
their
vision,
a
CDC
spokesperson
was
quoted
as
saying
by
the
network.

Pseudomonas
aeruginosa
can
cause
infections
in
the
blood,
lungs,
or
wounds
and
the
germ
has
been
proving
tougher
to
treat
in
recent
times
because
of
antibiotic
resistance,
Insider.com
reported.

The
bacterium
usually
spreads
to
people
in
hospitals
or
other
healthcare
settings
when
they’re
exposed
to
contaminated
water
or
soil,
where
it
typically
lives,
according
to
the
CDC.

EzriCare
is
the
latest
pharmaceutical
product
from
the
country
to
land
under
scrutiny
after
dozens
of
deaths
among
children
in
Gambia
and
Uzbekistan
last
year
linked
to
cough
syrups.