Sandoz Canada Incorporated has issued a voluntary recall for approximately 57,000 vials of injectable morphine due to a possible health hazard created by improper packaging. The pharmaceutics manufacturer, headquartered in Quebec, became aware of a packaging error after a Toronto hospital found four vials of an adrenaline-type heart drug known as isoproterenol hydrochloride inside a package of the injectable morphine, the company’s second most popular version of the drug. A notice was immediately sent to hospitals warning them to quarantine any 2-mg/ml ampoules of the morphine sulphate injection from the recalled lot. In addition to recalling the 57,000 vials, Sandoz will perform a thorough inspection of the more than 100,000 vials that remain in its possession before releasing any of the vials to medical centers. The drug mistakenly put into at least one 10-count package of ingestible morphine, as isoproterenol hydrochloride acts in a way similar to adrenaline is employed after incidences of cardiac arrest before pacemaker treatments or defibrillator paddles are used. Sandoz has recently announced that it would cease the production of some of its drugs and decrease the production of others after the American Food and Drug Administration demanded the company improve its methods of quality control.
As a San Bernardino injury attorney, I hope this recall was announced in time to prevent anyone from being hurt. If you have been harmed by a recalled product, please consider hiring a Ventura personal injury lawyer.