Ortho-Clinical Diagnostics Recalls Chemical Used In Pregnancy Tests

The Johnson & Johnson company Ortho-Clinical Diagnostics on Friday announced that it is voluntarily recalling a chemical that might produce false-negative results when used in diagnostic tests for pregnancy and other conditions, the AP/Houston Chronicle reports. The chemical is used in the company's Vitros Immunodiagnostic ECi/ECiQ laboratory test system, according to Ortho-Clinical spokesperson Stephen Dnistrian. The ECi/ECiQ system is used to screen for more than 40 diseases and conditions, including HIV, hepatitis, pregnancy, heart attack and thyroid disorders. According to Dnistrian, the company has verified that three U.S. labs and five labs based overseas received chemicals that did not function properly. Ortho-Clinical has not received reports of injuries associated with the chemical, Dnistrian said. He added that the recall concerns two of 50 lots of the chemical in distribution. Othro-Clinical recommends that patients concerned about test results who received diagnostic tests in the last 60 days speak with their physicians or call the company (AP/Houston Chronicle, 3/31).


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