13 people went blind after eye drops authorities check drug

Several patients go blind: authorities check German eye drops
After over a dozen patients in Spain and France went blind, authorities are now investigating a possible connection with eye drops from a German manufacturer. The remedy had already been recalled in the summer.
13 people go blind
After more than a dozen blinded people in Spain and France, authorities are currently investigating a possible connection with eye drops from the manufacturer from Baden-Württemberg, the news agency dpa reports. According to information from the local health authority, a total of 13 people in the northern part of Spain were blinded in one eye after use of Alamedics from Dornstadt (Alb-Donau-Kreis) in a total of 41 cases the application of the product used in surgery are affected. In addition, there were also two cases in neighboring France in July, as the French news agency AFP reported, citing the national drug authority ANSM. In addition, there was talk of "a case in Italy".

Eye drops on serious suspicion: application error or drug debt? Image: alco81 - fotolia

Product taken from the market
After the incidents in the summer, the manufacturer from Baden-Württemberg had started a recall of the product and removed the product from the market. The German Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices published in the summer the information about the recall of the product "Ala Octa". In an e-mail dated July 13, Alamedics CEO Christian Lingenfelder warned retailers that the drug was suspected of being responsible for a retinal degeneration process.

Sales temporarily suspended
He also wrote: "The safety of patients can not be determined with certainty due to the length of time it takes for the analysis results to be needed for the cause research. As a precautionary measure, three batches are being recalled for which no clear statements have been made without carrying out further analyzes due to the planned analysis results. Until clarification of the facts, the distribution of the product to the specialized trade will be suspended. "

There may be errors in the application
As the company from Dornstadt announced now, analyzes of independent laboratories have now revealed that there was no indication of contamination or other abnormalities. There may have been mistakes in the use of eye drops, it said. The drug is used in certain eye surgeries. (Ad)