All Auvi-Q is being recalled. “We are in a bind”, she says. “I keep them in the auto”.
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EpiPen, sold in the USA for decades, controls more than 90% of the market for epinephrine injectors. “All Auvi-Q is being recalled”. In the USA, the device is sold under the brand name Auvi-Q. It’s also flat, about the size of a man’s wallet, which makes it less conspicuous for teens to carry. It said in its earnings report that it expects to take a €100 million (109.4 million) hit in the fourth quarter to cover the cost of the recall.
Still, a few parents reported not being able to replace all their Auvi-Qs yesterday, due to local pharmacy shortages or insurance coverage limitations.
Sanofi is notifying its distributors and customers who include doctors, pharmacies, wholesalers and other customers in the supply chain by letter, fax, email and phone calls and is arranging for return and reimbursement of all recalled products. They can be used to treat allergic reactions to everything from insect bites to food and medicine allergies. If a patient having anaphylaxis did not receive the intended dose, serious health problems could ensue, including death, the company said.
According to a Sanofi press release, the company has received 26 reports of suspected device malfunctions in the us and Canada.
The voluntary recall includes both the 0.15 mg (child) and 0.3 mg (adult) strengths. People who use Auvi-Q EpiPens should find a replacement epinephrine auto-injector and then return the recalled device.
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In a video that accompanies its announcement, Sanofi’s Chief Medical Officer Dr. Paul Chew said consumers should first contact their doctors about getting a prescription for a different epinephrine injector. The Paris-based company said it has kept the Food and Drug Administration abreast of the recall.
