COVID-19 Treatment Recalled Nationwide Due to Serious Health Risk

Veklury recallPhoto byFDA press release

Gilead Sciences, Inc. has issued a voluntary nationwide recall of one lot of Veklury® (remdesivir) for Injection (100 mg/vial) after detecting glass particles in a vial. Veklury is a key treatment for COVID-19 and is administered to adults and pediatric patients, from birth to under 18 years, who either are hospitalized or at high risk of progressing to severe illness. The recall follows a customer complaint, though no adverse health events have been reported.

The contaminated vials pose serious health risks as glass particles can potentially travel through the bloodstream, causing severe complications such as stroke or death if they block blood vessels in critical organs like the heart, lungs, or brain.

The affected lot, #47035CFA, was distributed nationwide between July 16 and August 7, 2024. Veklury is used primarily in hospitals and administered by healthcare professionals who have immediate access to emergency treatments in case of severe infusion reactions. It is commonly used for patients with mild-to-moderate COVID-19 who are at risk of hospitalization or death due to pre-existing conditions.

Healthcare providers and facilities have been asked to stop using the affected lot and return the vials. Consumers with concerns should contact Gilead Medical Information, and any adverse reactions should be reported to the FDA’s MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting Program.

For further inquiries, Gilead can be reached via their medical information hotline or website.

The entire FDA release can be found here.