NEW GPC INC has expressed concern at a statement issued by the Georgetown Public Hospital with respect to Soda Lime that was supplied to that institution.
The Hospital said on Monday that there were complaints from the theatre staff that the Soda Lime deteriorated from granular to powdered form, rendering it unsuitable for use with the ventilator used to help patients breathe while undergoing surgery. As such, the Hospital called for a recall of the product.
However, in a statement to the media on Monday, NEW GPC said that the product has already been recalled and quarantined. According to the pharmaceutical supplier, on April 19, 2017, NEW GPC received a notice from the Georgetown Public Hospital that 14 out of 24 bottles of Soda Lime 5kg, which it supplied on February 21, 2017 on a purchase order, were crushed and unsuitable for use.
“We immediately instituted a recall, took possession and quarantined the 14 bottles on the same day (April 19). We also immediately notified the Hospital that the product will be replaced from another source and have since repurchased it. The replacement batch is in transit by airfreight and should arrive in less than two weeks,” the NEW GPC said in a statement.
The company pointed out that it did not manufacture the item, but rather it was imported.
“Soda Lime comes in a granulated form, but can go bad if improperly stored or handled and will become crushed or powdered if the bottle is shaken,” the company stated. It also noted that the label contained instructions for proper storage and a clear warning to discontinue use of the product if the granules became crushed or powered.
While this is unusual, the NEW GPC noted, it can happen with sensitive products “such as Soda Lime for reasons mentioned above and hence the need for constant monitoring. It should be noted that NEW GPC followed standard protocol for incidents of this type.”
The Georgetown Public Hospital, however, did point out that it was the first such complaint about the product supplied.
