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Counterfeit OneTouch® Ultra® and/
OneTouch® Basic®/Profile® Test Strips Discovered in Philippines
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Updated: October 31, 2007
What's New: Added OneTouch Ultra Lot #07B02.
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March 20, 2007
If you use, recommend, distribute or sell OneTouch® Brand Test Strips, we want to make you aware that we have recently discovered counterfeit OneTouch® Basic®/Profile® and OneTouch® Ultra® Test Strips in the Philippines. Counterfeit test strips are fake products not made by LifeScan.
This issue does not involve OneTouch® SmartScan™, OneTouch® Horizon™ or OneTouch® SureStep® Test Strips.
Potential Risk to Patients
Testing of various counterfeit test strips obtained by LifeScan to date from around the world shows erratic performance that includes highly inaccurate test results or failure to provide test results. It is unknown how counterfeit test strips that may be in the marketplace will perform. LifeScan cannot ensure the accuracy and reliability of blood glucose test results obtained from test strips it did not manufacture.
Patients should discontinue use of these counterfeit test strips and replace them immediately. Patients should also contact their physician to assess potential treatment implications. Use of these counterfeit test strips could result in inaccurate test results that may lead to improper treatment. Notably, insulin treatment based on inaccurate blood glucose results could result in serious injury or death. We have informed the Department of Health through the Bureau of Food and Drugs and are vigorously pursuing legal actions.
Identifying Counterfeit Test Strips
The counterfeit test strips and packaging that we have detected look like genuine LifeScan OneTouch Brand Test Strips intended for sale outside the Philippines. The following lot numbers are associated with counterfeit test strips. Select each lot number to see its identifying characteristics.
Counterfeit OneTouch Ultra Test Strip Lots
Counterfeit OneTouch (Basic/Profile) Test Strip Lots
What You Should Do
People With Diabetes: Discontinue use of these counterfeit test strips and call LifeScan for assistance. You should also contact your physician to assess potential treatment implications.
Health Care Professionals: Please share this information with your diabetes patients who use OneTouch Basic/Profile and OneTouch Ultra Test Strips. For additional information contact LifeScan.
Pharmacies/Retailers: We recommend you routinely check your inventory of OneTouch Basic/Profile and OneTouch Ultra Test Strips. If you discover any counterfeit test strips, please remove them from your shelves and/or do not re-distribute them, and report your discovery immediately to LifeScan. In addition, ask your patients who have received these counterfeit test strips to return them to you for verification and replacement, as necessary. Please be aware that LifeScan will not issue credit for counterfeit products. For restitution, you will need to contact your original source of supply for these test strips. Counterfeit products are continually being modified to avoid detection. If you are purchasing any LifeScan Products from a source that is not an authorized distributor, you may be placing your patients at risk of receiving counterfeit and secondary market products. Authorized distributors have agreed not to purchase products from the secondary market, which is a known source of counterfeit products.
How To Contact LifeScan
Call OneTouch Customer Service at 8247954 / 8248736 / 8247901 local 8736, 1-800-1-888-7954 (toll free) or send SMS/text at 0917-5355567 for assistance.
We recommend you periodically visit this Web page or bookmark www.GenuineOneTouch.com for important Counterfeit Product Alerts or future updates.
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