Medtronic insulin pumps recalled after various incidents
If you have diabetes, tracking your insulin levels on a daily basis is essential. If they are off, you may then need to correct them by injecting insulin. Thankfully over time, technology has developed to help you do this more easily. However, if this technology goes wrong, it can have severe consequences.
Insulin pumps alleged to have injured many users
In February 2020, the Federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a full recall of Medtronic’s MiniMed insulin pumps models 630 G and 670 G. The recall came after more than 25,000 users complained, over 2,000 were injured, and one died.
If the insulin cartridge does not connect with the device correctly and stay in its place, it can lead to the pump giving too much or too little insulin. That could cause hypoglycemia or hyperglycemia in the person using it. The consequences of either can be incredibly serious.
The manufacturer had known about the problem for a while. They issued a letter to users in 2019. Yet, it took the FDA to step in and demand a full recall to ensure no-one else got hurt by these defective medical devices.
When you purchase something purported to help your health, you do not expect it to harm you. Medical device manufacturers make millions of dollars. They must carry out adequate testing to ensure their products are safe before releasing them and profiting from them. The product liability lawsuits against Medtronic began last year. There are likely to be many more. If one of these insulin pumps has injured you, it is essential to find out more about the legal recourses available to hold Medtronic to account.