Revised: 30 March 2012

Publications

Worldwide recall of Viaspan - no affected stock in New Zealand

The distributors of Viaspan, a product used to preserve organs, have advised the Ministry of Health that none of the potentially-affected batches of Viaspan have been distributed to hospitals in New Zealand.

Acting chief medical officer, Dr Pat Tuohy, says the Ministry of Health has notified the three New Zealand centres involved in transplants after a worldwide recall.

The distributors, Bristol Myers-Squibb, says that worldwide, no adverse event reports have been received in relation to the current issue, nor have there been any clinical reports of this particular bacteria infecting transplant patients.

Bristol Myers-Squibb are undertaking a full investigation.

Transplants are carried out in Auckland, Christchurch and Wellington.