Non-specified matter prompts recall of injectables

Hospira, the injectables specialist owned by US pharma giant Pfizer (NYSE: PFE), is voluntarily recalling a batch of its products amid fears of contamination.

One lot of US-distributed vancomycin hydrochloride for injection is being recalled because of what the company calls ‘a confirmed customer report for the presence of particulate matter within a single vial’.

Hospira’s announcement adds: “In the unlikely event that the particulate is administered to a patient, it may result in local swelling, irritation of blood vessels or tissue, blockage of blood vessels and/or low-level allergic response to the particulate. The risk is reduced by the possibility of detection, as the label contains a clear statement directing the physician to visually inspect the product for particulate matter and discoloration prior to administration.”