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Alere INRatio2 PT/INR Professional Test Strips: Recall - Higher INR when Performed by Central Laboratory
AUDIENCE: Cardiology, Emergency Medicine, Laboratory, Nursing
ISSUE: Alere is recalling this product due to complaints of patients who had a therapeutic or near therapeutic INR with the Alere INRatio2 PT/INR Professional Test Strip but a significantly higher INR (outside of therapeutic range) when performed by a central laboratory. Alere has received nine serious adverse event reports, three of which described bleeding associated with patient deaths.
BACKGROUND: The reason for the adverse event reports was significantly different test results between the Alere INRatio2 PT/INR Professional Test Strip and the local laboratory plasma INR test. Given these reports, Alere is concerned that the AlereINRatio2 PT/INR Professional Test Strips may report an inaccurately low INR result.
Alere will transition customers from the current Alere INRatio2 PT/INR Professional Test Strip to the Alere INRatio PT/INR Test Strip (PN 100139). The voluntary recall does not include the Alere INRatio PT/INR Test Strip (PN 100071), which is utilized by patient self-testers for home INR monitoring.
RECOMMENDATION: Healthcare professionals should immediately STOP using the Alere INRatio2 PT/INR Professional Test Strips and use an alternative method to perform PT/INR testing, such as a plasma-based laboratory INR test, an alternative Alere product, or an alternative point-of-care monitoring system from a different manufacturer.
Healthcare professionals and patients are encouraged to report adverse events or side effects related to the use of these products to the FDA's MedWatch Safety Information and Adverse Event Reporting Program:
- Complete and submit the report Online: www.fda.gov/MedWatch/report.htm
- Download form or call 1-800-332-1088 to request a reporting form, then complete and return to the address on the pre-addressed form, or submit by fax to 1-800-FDA-0178
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