FDA Reports Voluntary Recall of All Ameridose Drug Products

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announces that Ameridose, LLC, based in Westborough, Mass., is voluntarily recalling all of its unexpired products in circulation.  A complete list of all products subject to this recall can be accessed at www.ameridose.com. 
 
The FDA is currently conducting an inspection of Ameridoses facility. Although this inspection is ongoing, the FDAs preliminary findings have raised concerns about a lack of sterility assurance for products produced at and distributed by this facility. Use of non-sterile injectable products can represent a serious hazard to health that could lead to life-threatening injuries. Most products produced at and distributed by this facility are represented by Ameridose to be sterile products. Ameridose entered into a voluntary agreement with the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Pharmacy to cease all pharmacy and manufacturing operations starting on Oct. 10, 2012.

This recall is not based on reports of patients with infections associated with any of Ameridoses products, and the agency recommended this recall out of an abundance of caution. Therefore, at this time, the FDA is also recommending that health care professionals do not need to follow up with patients who received Ameridose products. Health care professionals should stop using Ameridose products at this time, and return them to the firm.

Hospitals, clinics, healthcare professionals, and other customers with Ameridose products on hand should contact Ameridose at 888-820-0622 to obtain instructions on how to return products to Ameridose.

Together with the state of Massachusetts, the FDA commenced the current inspection of the Ameridose facility as part of the agencys ongoing fungal meningitis outbreak investigation. Ameridose is a company sharing common management by the same parties as New England Compounding Center (NECC) of Framingham, Mass., the firm associated with compounded drugs linked to the ongoing fungal meningitis outbreak.

Because the preliminary results of the FDAs inspection raise concerns about the sterility assurance of Ameridoses products, the FDA is advising health care professionals to stop using all Ameridose products and follow the recall procedures provided by the firm, explains Janet Woodcock, MD, director of FDAs Center for Drug Evaluation and Research.

The FDA has identified some Ameridose products that currently appear on the critical shortage list. These products were in shortage before the Ameridose recall, but supplies may be further affected as a result of the Ameridose recall. The FDA is working with alternative manufacturers to maintain supplies of these life-saving drugs.

Health care professionals and patients may dial the FDAs Drug Information Line at 855-543-DRUG (3784) and press * to get the most recent information regarding the Ameridose recall and speak directly to a pharmacist.

The FDA asks healthcare professionals and consumers to report any adverse reactions to the FDAs MedWatch Program by fax at 800-FDA-0178, by mail at MedWatch, FDA, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, Md. 20852-9787, or on the MedWatch website at www.fda.gov/medwatch.
 

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