I just heard on CNN that LifeScan has reported counterfeit diabetes test strips from China.  Of course, officials say be careful where you buy them from.  How about people like my mother who get them through a mail order place under Medicare.  Can she count on Medicare to check their sources?

When are we just going to freeze Chinese imports?!

It was one of those 30 sec. CNN shorts.  Almost no info.  They did mention mail order, but not a particular place.  I need to do more research.

lesliek,

I'm glad you said that, because I've been wondering the same thing myself.  Culling the herd. 

This is a very serious, potentially life-threatening matter for a diabetic.  And there are a lot of diabetics in our country. 

This seems to go all the way back to October, 2006, and is now being linked to China.   WTF is going on in this country?  Does anybody care or have any shame anymore?

http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2007/8/17/84131.shtml?s=he

China Sold Counterfeit Diabetes Tests to U.S.
Sylvia Hubbard
Friday, Aug. 17, 2007
 
 
An at-home diabetes test used by 10 million Americans to measure blood sugar levels was counterfeited by the Chinese and sold to unsuspecting Americans and Canadians. When fake copies of the One Touch Test Strip sold by Johnson & Johnson's LifeScan unit were discovered last September, a nationwide consumer alert was issued by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, but the link to China wasn't disclosed.

Johnson & Johnson learned of the fake test strips when patients complained of inaccurate test results. After launching their own investigation, they tracked the defective tests to China.

"Growth in counterfeit medicines and devices is probably the biggest health threat besides infectious disease," said Peter Pitts, formerly an FDA official who investigated fake drugs, and is currently the director of the Center for Medicines in the Public Interest in New York. The fake test strips have been found in at least thirty-five states and in numerous countries world-wide.

Diabetic test strips are a tempting target for counterfeiters since they sell for about a dollar a strip and can cost diabetics up to $200 a month. But accurate testing is essential since diabetics use the results to judge the amount of insulin they need to keep their sugar levels even. Too much, or too little, insulin can be dangerous and have deadly results.

I just e-mailed Lifescan for more info.  CustomerService(at)LifeScan(dot)com.  I didn't see anything on their website (www.lifescan.com) about the strips. Hopefully, they'll update it soon.  That CNN report gave just enough information to make you crazy.

I think our policy makers primarily care about increasing China's purchases from our big companies like Microsoft and Boeing in these trade wars.  They just use angry consumers as weapons.  I know that is cynical, but I think it is true after listening to a University of Washington professor on the radio recently.

http://www.minyanville.com/mvtv/?videoid=17

db, as of now there is no FDA recall or alert, and I'm signed up for every move they make.  But it's Friday night still and we're due for one.

I also checked the Lifescan website and there's no press release/notice about it either.  However, the recall from October, 2006, is on there for the counterfeit test strips (but China wasn't disclosed then as the source). 

One more thing I'd like to add about this 2006 recall.  I had a diabetic cat during this timeframe.  She was on the recalled test strips.  These same test strips came packaged with the OneTouch glucose meter I purchased in July 2006.  It was on sale for $14, down from $75.00, RIGHT BEFORE THE RECALL.  Purchased at a Longs Drugs Store in No. California.  Most meters cost between $60-150 so this was a huge discount.  I asked the pharmacist why it was marked down so low and if anything was wrong with it.  He said, the model was being discontinued and nothing was wrong with it.  So if you ever see a glucose meter on sale don't purchase it because it will eventually be recalled.