Hospira Recalls Injectable Opioids Due to Potentially Broken Vials

Hospira is voluntarily recalling three lots of the injectable opioid medication Hydromorphone HCl because the glass vials may be broken or cracked, the Food and Drug Administration announced yesterday. Hospira has notified hospitals and others with an existing inventory of the lots subject to this recall that they should stop use and distribution of the remaining units and quarantine them immediately. See the FDA announcement for more information, including the lot numbers. Health care professionals are encouraged to report any related problems or events to the FDA's MedWatch Program. Last week, the AHA and others asked the Drug Enforcement Administration to temporarily adjust the aggregate production quotas for certain injectable opioid medications in short supply to allow other manufacturers to supply product until the shortages resolve.