FDA: Heparin, saline syringes recalled

Washington -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced a nationwide recall of all lots and sizes of Braun Medical Inc. pre-filled heparin and saline flush syringes.

Braun, the distributor of the syringes, was notified by its contract manufacturer, AM2PAT Inc., of the recall due to a safety issue.

An investigation by the Centers for Disease Control and the FDA determined the syringes might be contaminated with Serratia marcescens -- a type of bacteria that can produce life-threatening injuries or death.

The FDA said customers that have the recalled product in their possession should discontinue use immediately and contact the Braun customer support department at 800-227-2862 to learn how to handle the affected products and to arrange for a replacement.

Copyright 2008 by United Press International.