Nationwide Recall of Widely-Used Contaminated Alcohol Prep Pads
In January of this year, H&P Industries, Inc., which does business as the Triad Group of Hartland, Wisconsin issued a recall of all lots of alcohol prep pads, alcohol swabs and alcohol swabsticks. These products are packaged under a variety of labels including Triad, Safeway, Kroger, CVS, Walgreens and the Target brand Up and Up). The recall announcement was in response to a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) investigation and complaints from consumers and hospitals around the country.
The FDA is currently investigating claims by hospitals and patients that the alcohol prep pads made by Triad are contaminated with Bacillus cereus, a harmful bacterium. There have been several reports all over the United States of people contracting a serious infection after coming in contact with the wipes:
- Two young patients in a Colorado children’s hospital were being treated for unrelated medical issues when they suddenly suffered life-threatening infections;
- A 55-year-old Tennessee man required open heart surgery to replace valves in his heart that were damaged by Bacillus cereus infection;
- A Washington state child came down with an infection just after he was born that caused him severe brain damage; and
- In Houston, a 2-year-old boy died after contracting a Bacillus cereus infection.
While the patients and hospitals have pointed to the alcohol wipes as being the source of these infections, the FDA is still investigating. Recently, the FDA seized $6 million in Triad Group products and has ordered them to stop all manufacture and distribution.
If you or a loved one has been injured or killed from an infection linked to a Triad Group product or any other contaminated or defective product, you may be entitled to compensation. The skilled New York product liability lawyers at Wingate, Rusotti & Shapiro will fight against the big corporations and protect your rights. Call us at 212-222-4336 today for a free consultation.
