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FDA urges diabetics to stop using Shasta Technologies GenStrip Blood Glucose test strips
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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is advising people with diabetes and health care professionals to stop using GenStrip Blood Glucose Test Strips because the strips may report incorrect blood glucose levels. The FDA recommends the use of alternative glucose test strips that are designed for use with the LifeScan OneTouch family of glucose meters.
GenStrip Blood Glucose Test Strips, sold by Shasta Technologies LLC, are "third-party" blood glucose monitoring test strips—meaning that the test strips are not made by the same company as the meter with which they are used. The strips are used in the home and in health care facilities to measure blood glucose levels in diabetes care and management. Shasta’s GenStrips are advertised for use with the LifeScan OneTouch family of glucose meters (e.g. Ultra, Ultra 2 and Ultra Mini).
The affected test strips have been manufactured and distributed since March 2013 and are available through online retailers and retail pharmacies.
Inspectors find violations at manufacturing plant
During a recent inspection of Shasta Technologies LLC, the FDA said it found extensive violations of federal regulations intended to assure the quality of products in the manufacturing of GenStrip Test Strips. These quality systems regulations require manufacturers to establish and document procedures that assure quality, including ways to deal with customer complaints, adverse event reports, and purchasing from suppliers. These regulations also require manufacturers to establish and document procedures for assuring the quality of manufactured product, and for investigating and correcting manufacturing problems.
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At an inspection earlier this year, and documented in an April 2014 warning letter, the FDA found that Shasta Technologies did not have in place many of the requirements of a quality system. Without assurance of an adequate quality system, the FDA said it believes that the strips could report incorrect blood glucose levels.
The FDA said that to date, the company has been unwilling to voluntarily recall their test strips, resulting in their continued availability. The FDA recommends that use of Shasta Technologies, LLC GenStrip Test Strips be discontinued.
The FDA has cleared other glucose test strips that are designed for use with the LifeScan OneTouch family of glucose meters. The FDA urges customers to use these alternatives with their LifeScan OneTouch glucose meters. -by Rebecca Zumoff