Glass Particles in Vial Lead to Vancomycin Recall

Hospira, a Pfizer company, is voluntarily recalling one lot of vancomycin hydrochloride injection because of two visible glass particles seen in a single vial. If administered intravenously, patients may experience adverse events such as local irritation or swelling, vasculitis/ phlebitis, antigenic or allergic reactions, and microvascular obstruction, including pulmonary embolism. If administered orally or via a nasogastric tube, there may be the potential for gastrointestinal trauma.

To date, Pfizer has not received reports of any adverse events related to this recall.

Vancomycin hydrochloride is an antibiotic to treat patients with serious infections caused by methicillin-resistant staphylococci. Vancomycin hydrochloride is effective in treating staphylococcal endocarditis, septicemia, bone infections, lower respiratory tract infections, and skin and skin-structure infections.

The recall effects vancomycin injection in a single-dose fliptop vial with the lot number 33045BA with an expiration date of Sept. 1, 2023. The NDC for the vial is 0409-3515-11. The NDC for the carton is 0409-3515-01.