The company which produces EpiPens has issued a voluntary recall of certain lot numbers of this medication sold in Canada between July, 1997 and April, 1998 because some vials have been found to contain less than the stated amount of adrenaline. This medication is used in emergency situations for those who have life threatening allergies to foods such as peanuts or to bee stings.
Dr. Lamont Sweet, Chief Health Officer noted that: "Until the replacement is obtained, it is recommended that in emergency situations, EpiPens of other lot numbers be used if available. If only those EpiPens which have been recalled are available, it is recommended that they be kept and used in an emergency until replaced. There have been no reports of anyone being harmed after using the EpiPens which have been recalled but the company is voluntarily informing the public as a precaution."
The lot numbers of those EpiPens which have been recalled include:
1) EpiPen: A) 7C6214 and B) 7C6279
2) Junior EpiPen: A)7C5376 and B)7C5238
The lot numbers are printed on both the outside carton and the injector label. All schools in PEI have been contacted and the recalled EpiPens will be replaced as soon as possible with the cooperation of the Department of Education and the Department of Health and Social Services. Anyone who has purchased EpiPens for home use from a pharmacy should contact the pharmacy in order to receive a replacement free of charge.
There are 155 children in PEI schools who have been identified as having life threatening allergies and EpiPens have been supplied to all schools attended by these students.