Date: January 16, 1998
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, Print Media:301-827-6242,
Broadcast Media:301-827-3434, Consumer Inquiries: 800-532-4440

FDA Warning on Contaminated Veterinary Drugs

The Food and Drug Administration is issuing a national warning against the use of all large volume parenteral drugs distributed by Veterinary Pharmaceuticals, Inc., (VPI) of Hanford, California, and manufactured by its subsidiary, Sierra Pharmaceuticals, Inc., of Mexicali, Mexico. The company is recalling these drugs, commonly used to treat dairy cows because they are contaminated with bacillus cereus bacteria -- bacteria that can cause severe injury and death in cows.

The agency urges anyone who has purchased these products to immediately stop using them. The agency has also issued an Import Alert to prevent the importation of these products.

FDA analyses show that samples of the following drugs manufactured by this company are contaminated with bacillus cereus bacteria or related bacteria species:

• Hypertonic Saline Solution
• Lactated Ringer's Solution
• Calcium Gluconate 23 percent Solution
• Dextrose Solution 50 percent
• Electrolyte Solution w/ Dextrose.

Since Sierra Pharmaceuticals used common equipment, manufacturing practices, and controls for the above drugs and all other large volume parenteral products it manufactured, all large volume parenteral veterinary drugs manufactured by Sierra Pharmaceuticals, Inc., and distributed by Veterinary Pharmaceuticals Inc., are covered by this warning.

Those who may have existing stocks of these drugs should contact the distributorship from where they were purchased for instructions on what to do with these products. Purchasers may also want to consult their veterinarians if they have treated any cows with these products.

Note: HHS press releases are available on the World Wide Web at: http://www.dhhs.gov.