FDA issues alert for glucose test strips

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a warning Tuesday concerning the sale of counterfeit blood glucose test strips.

The strips are being sold in the United States for use with various models of LifeScan Inc., One Touch Brand blood glucose monitors.

The FDA said the counterfeit test strips might give incorrect blood glucose values that could lead a patient to take either too much or too little insulin, resulting in serious injury or death.

The counterfeit test strips are identified as:

-- One Touch Basic Profile (lot #272894A, 2619932 or 2606340)

-- One Touch Ultra (lot #2691191).

The FDA said consumers who have the counterfeit test strips should stop using them, replace them immediately and contact their physician.

The counterfeit test strips were distributed to pharmacies and stores nationwide, but primarily in Ohio, New York, Florida, Maryland and Missouri.

Copyright 2006 by United Press International