Here’s some information about a very important recall of medical supplies:

Triad Group, which manufactures “sterile” alcohol wipes and swabs, lubricating jellies, and hemorrhoidal creams, has been found to have shipped tens of millions of possibly contaminated products. These products have apparently been implicated in cases of serious illness and death, including the death of a 2 year old child in Houston. Apparently, these products are contaminated with a rare strain of bacteria, bacillus cereus.

Unfortunately, some of these products have been/are being used in doctor’s offices. Some, you may have at home (particularly if you do home testing of blood sugar, INR, etc.).

The voluntary recall states: If a consumer has any of these types of products in their possession listing “Triad Group” as the manufacturer, they should not use the product and should return it to the place it was purchased for a full refund or call Triad Group Customer Service Monday through Friday between the hours of 8:30 A.M. and 4:00 P.M. Central Time: 262.538.2900.

The company lists the following store brands as affected by this recall:
Cardinal Health
PSS Select
VersaPro
Boca/ Ultilet
Moore Medical
Walgreens
CVS
Conzellin

Just as an FYI, I checked my own medicine cabinet and found I had a box of sterile alcohol wipes I purchased from Target last year (Up and Up brand) that have “Triad Group” stamped on the individual packages, so the list above is obviously not all-inclusive.  Check your supply yourself to verify whether it is included in this recall or not.

Here’s a link to the FDA’s Recall Notice: http://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls/ucm239219.HTM

Read an in-depth article about this issue at MSNBC.

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