The Department of Health (DH) today (November 28) drew public attention to Abbott Diabetes Care's further recall of other lots of its FreeStyle and FreeStyle Lite blood glucose test strips due to the potential for giving erroneously low blood glucose results.
Further to the press releases issued by the DH on November 25 and 26 on the recall of certain lots of FreeStyle and FreeStyle Lite blood glucose test strips by Abbott Diabetes Care, the local supplier Abbott Laboratories Limited informed the DH that 18 other lots of FreeSytle and FreeStyle Lite blood glucose test strips have to be recalled (lot numbers: 1280623, 1281310, 1281424, 1282651, 1284924, 1355751, 1358061, 1359207, 1365062, 1366208, 1366620, 1369334, 1372550, 1372652, 1373413, 1376121, 1376216 and 1376259). The full list of affected lots is in the Appendix.
Although these affected strips may give rise to erroneous results when used with certain brands and models of glucose meters, the DH advised the public to stop using the affected test strips, irrespective of the brand or model of the glucose meters they are using, as a precautionary measure and to avoid causing confusion.
A spokesman for the DH explained that falsely low blood glucose readings may mislead a diabetic patient into inappropriate management of his or her condition, resulting in hyperglycemia.
"Enquiries with the local supplier, Abbott Laboratories Limited, revealed no evidence of the affected test strips having been distributed in Hong Kong," the spokesman said.
So far, the DH has not received any local reports of adverse events arising from use of the affected products.
"People who have test strips belonging to the affected lots listed in the Appendix should contact Abbott Laboratories Limited for advice and follow-up," the spokesman stressed.
The company has set up a customer service hotline, 5808 4196, to answer related enquiries.
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