Medical Device Recall: May Cause Death

For once, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) couldn’t be more honest. Granted, it buries the truth in the second sentence of the recall rather than the first. But there is no arguing with what is written. “Use of this device may also cause death.”

The Hudson RCI Pediatric Anesthesia Breathing Circuits the FDA recently recalled haven not been in production for very long. It was discovered during routine use that the ends of the devices were subject to cracking, which could lead to incorrect medication administration for the patient. As the FDA so bluntly said, this could cause death.

Though the company is in fact doing the right thing by recalling the product, it is too late to undo the damage done by their carelessness. All too often companies seem to think that just by claiming to take responsibility, they can shield themselves from truly having to take responsibility. Truly taking responsibility would require:

• Acknowledging all of those who had been injured by their negligence
• Sincere apologies to those injured
• Paying for all medical treatment required by those who suffered due to negligence
• Financial compensation to allow those injured to compete fairly with their peers for the rest of their lives

The pharmaceutical companies do not want to pay for their mistakes, or provide the level of financial support needed by families who suffer because of their mistakes. It often takes a great deal of time and effort to get the necessary care, and that means retaining a lawyer to help put in that time and effort. If you or a loved one has been injured by faulty medical equipment, please contact a qualified attorney to help you obtain the support and compensation you need.