Merck said Oct. 19 that it is recalling about 22,000 vials of its Cubicin antibiotic after receiving a customer complaint of glass in a vial.
The drugmaker said that if the drug is infused and contains a glass particulate, it could cause serious health consequences such as blockage and clotting in blood vessels, which can be life-threatening if a critical organ is affected.
Merck said it hasn't received reports of adverse events related to the recall.
Cubicin is an antibiotic used to treat complicated skin infections and Staphylococcus aureus bloodstream infections.
The affected vials were distributed to wholesalers between June 1 and Sept. 9 in the U.S. Merck said it's arranging for the return of all the recalled vials.
"Our highest priorities are the health and safety of patients and the quality of our medicines and vaccines," Richard Haupt, MD, Merck's vice president and head of vaccines and infectious diseases. "We sincerely regret any inconvenience caused by this recall."
Read the full news release here.