Recently, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a massive warning to US consumers regarding a batch of over-the-counter eye drops that are currently being sold in multiple major retailers across the country. Consumers are being told to stop using the product immediately after it was discovered that these products were manufactured in unsanitary conditions and could lead to serious eye infections, partial vision loss or complete blindness.
This is a serious matter and should raise questions about the FDA’s ability to monitor drug production facilities.
The FDA is warning consumers to immediately stop using 26 types of over-the-counter eye drops after investigators allegedly found unsanitary conditions at the manufacturing site.
Find the list of recalled products here: https://t.co/K83OG0cK8S pic.twitter.com/2kxa0esNfv
— ABC7 Eyewitness News (@ABC7) October 31, 2023
Ophthalmic drugs pose a very serious risk for those who use them since they bypass some of the body’s natural defenses. As such, it is imperative that these products are produced in sterile environments with stringent safety protocols and checks.
Unfortunately, this was not the case for this particular batch of eye drops which has been linked to potential health risks as mentioned above. The FDA has advised all customers who have purchased any of the 26 affected products – marketed under brands such as CVS Health, Leader (Cardinal Health), Rugby (Cardinal Health), Rite Aid, Target Up&Up, and Velocity Pharma – to immediately stop using them and dispose properly according to their instructions on their website.
This current incident isn’t the first time that dangerous eye products have been sold by manufacturers. In March, 68 people from 16 states were infected with Pseudomonas aeruginosa – a deadly bacterial superbug – after using artificial tears lubricant eye drops made by India-based company Global Pharma Healthcare.
Three people died as a result while eight others went completely blind and four had to have their eyeballs surgically removed due to complications caused by infection from the product. The manufacturer voluntarily recalled these items but just five months later in August another warning was issued about artificial tears prompting consumers to discontinue using three different products made by Delsam Pharma due to contamination issues again reported at multiple locations around America.
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