The number of product recalls in the U.S. remained steady from the second to third quarter, but will likely increase as regulators begin to focus on currently unregulated or underregulated areas, according to a report released Nov. 12.
Each quarter, product recall management company Stericycle Expert Solutions releases a "recall index" detailing the frequency and causes of U.S. product recalls in the food, pharmaceutical, automotive, medical device and consumer product industries.
For the pharmaceutical industry, the report found current good manufacturing practice deviations caused 25 percent of recalls in the third quarter. The manufacturing deviations also accounted for more than 93 percent of all units recalled.
Of the pharmaceutical products recalled, 84.7 percent had a nationwide reach.
In addition, in the third quarter of 2019, 54 drugmakers announced recalls, which is the lowest number since the same period in 2016.
The report noted that lawmakers and consumer groups are increasingly putting pressure on federal regulators to clarify regulation in areas such as cybersecurity, children's sleep products and cannabis, which will likely increase product recalls across the industries studied.
Read the full report here.