News Flash

LifeScan One Touch Blood Glucose Test Strips -- Counterfeit Alert

LifeScan and The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have notified healthcare professionals and the public that counterfeit 50-count boxes of blood glucose test strips for use with One Touch Basic®/Profile® and One Touch Ultra® blood glucose meters were distributed to pharmacies and stores nationwide - but primarily in Ohio, New York, Florida, Maryland and Missouri - by Medical Plastic Devices, Inc., Quebec, Canada and Champion Sales, Inc., Brooklyn, N.Y.

These counterfeit test strips, used by people with diabetes to measure their blood glucose, potentially could give incorrect blood glucose values - either too high or too low - which might result in a patient taking either too much or too little insulin and lead to serious injury or death. No injuries have been reported to FDA to date.

The counterfeit test strips can be identified by the following characteristics:

Counterfeit One Touch Basic/Profile Test Strips

• Lot Numbers 272894A, 2619932, 2606340, 2615211*, or 227078A**
• Multiple Languages- English, Greek and Portuguese text on the outer carton
• Limited to 50-Count One Touch (Basic/Profile) Test Strip packages

Counterfeit One Touch Ultra Test Strips

• Lot Numbers 2691191 or 2691261*
• Multiple Languages- English and French text on the outer carton
• Limited to 50-Count One Touch Ultra Test Strip packages

Consumers who have the counterfeit test strips should stop using them, replace them immediately and contact their physician. Consumers with questions may contact the company at 1-866-621-4855. For more information, please visit the FDA website at: www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2006/NEW01490.html, www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2006/NEW01497.html*, and http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2006/NEW01528.html**.

Any adverse reactions experienced with the use of this product, and/or quality problems should also be reported to the FDA’s MedWatch Program by phone at 1-800-FDA-1088, by fax at 1-800-FDA-0178, by mail at MedWatch, HF-2, FDA, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD, 20852-9787, or through the MedWatch Web site at www.fda.gov/medwatch.

* Additional lot numbers and link to FDA announcement added October 30, 2006.
** Additional lot numbers and link to FDA announcement added December 20, 2006.