Biotronik told ICIJ that, when it identifies the need to issue a recall, the company immediately informs physicians of all potentially affected patients. It also noted that product recalls for all manufactures are publically available on the relevant national authorities’ websites. “As soon as an event is deemed serious either by a hospital or a manufacturer, it is reported inter alia to the regulatory authority in the country in which the incidence has occurred, as well as to the FDA for US-approved devices, even if the event has occurred outside of the US,” the company said.
Biotronik told ICIJ that, when it identifies the need to issue a recall, the company immediately informs physicians of all potentially affected patients. It also noted that product recalls for all manufactures are publically available on the relevant national authorities’ websites. “As soon as an event is deemed serious either by a hospital or a manufacturer, it is reported inter alia to the regulatory authority in the country in which the incidence has occurred, as well as to the FDA for US-approved devices, even if the event has occurred outside of the US,” the company said.
Biotronik told ICIJ that, when it identifies the need to issue a recall, the company immediately informs physicians of all potentially affected patients. It also noted that product recalls for all manufactures are publically available on the relevant national authorities’ websites. “As soon as an event is deemed serious either by a hospital or a manufacturer, it is reported inter alia to the regulatory authority in the country in which the incidence has occurred, as well as to the FDA for US-approved devices, even if the event has occurred outside of the US,” the company said.
“We take a patient-first approach to assessing the applicability of every recall and communicate to regulatory bodies in all geographies where the recalled device is sold,” Boston Scientific said in a statement to ICIJ. “We have coordinated several recalls across many countries in a timely manner,” the company said, adding that it complies with all national laws, which can often vary and require different processes for reporting information or taking action on recalls. The company said it uses a rigorous and uniform process to take action on recalls and that “when we initiate a field action (e.g. recall, safety alert), every customer who has received an affected product receives a communication that includes a letter for the physician.”