Siemens Recalls MicroScan Synergies plus® and rapID/S plus Gram Negative Panels

TARRYTOWN, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics SI has issued a voluntary recall of its MicroScan Synergies plus^® Negative and rapID/S plus Negative panels. These panels are used for determining antimicrobial susceptibility and/or identification for gram-negative bacteria. An internal investigation has confirmed an increase in false susceptible and false intermediate misreads for imipenem and/or meropenem when read rapidly (< 16 hours) on the MicroScan^® WalkAway Microbiology System¹. The investigation determined that no other antimicrobial agent results are affected. Siemens has notified the FDA of this action.

This defect could potentially lead to misclassification of a resistant or partially resistant strain of gram negative bacteria which may result in treatment with an inappropriate antibiotic or a delay in initiating appropriate therapy. As a result of these findings, Siemens has issued a voluntarily recall for MicroScan Synergies plus Negative and rapID/S plus Negative panels shipped from June 2011 through August 2013. This issue is not panel lot specific or related to a particular WalkAway instrument model. Dried Overnight Gram Negative Panels are not impacted by the issue.

The following panels have been affected by this issue:

Description			Siemens Material Number (SMN)			Part Number			Distribution
Neg Combo Panel Type 2 (SI+NC2)			10444747			B1025-108			Brazil, China, Colombia. Germany, India, Mexico, Peru, Russia, South Africa, Thailand, United States
Neg/Urine Combo Panel Type 1 (SI+NUC1)			10444745			B1025-106			Canada, China, Colombia, United States
Neg/Urine Combo Panel Type 2 (SI+NUC2)			10444749			B1025-112			Algeria, Brazil, Colombia, Italy, Mexico, Romania, Russia, Spain, United States
Neg/Urine Combo Panel Type 5 (SI+NUC5)			10483101			B1025-115			United States
Neg Breakpoint Combo Panel Type 7 (SI+NBPC7)			10444748			B1025-109			Algeria, India, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Mexico, Oman, Poland, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Thailand Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United States, Uruguay
Neg Combo Panel Type 3 (SI+NC3)			10444600			B1016-201			None*
Neg/Urine Combo Panel Type 4 (SI+NUC4)			10444601			B1016-202			None*
Neg Breakpoint Combo Panel Type 8 (SI+NBPC8)			10460272			B1016-203			Austria, Germany Romania
Neg Combo Type 3.11 (R+NC3.11)			10444792			J1025-311			Japan
Neg Combo Type 3.12 (R+NC3.12)			10444793			J1025-312			Japan
Neg MIC Type 3.33 (R+NC3.33)			10444794			J1025-333			Japan
* Products are make to order and none were ordered during the recall period.

All affected customers have already been notified and instructed, via letter and the addition of Important Product Information (IPI) labeling to the panel boxes, to suppress all Susceptible (S) or Intermediate (I) interpretation and MIC results for imipenem and meropenem with all Synergies plus Negative and rapID/S plus Negative panels, until further notice.

Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics has also recommended that customers consider reviewing previous Synergies plus Negative and rapID/S plus Negative test results from June 2011 through August 2013, conduct patient follow-up, and/or repeat imipenem and/or meropenem susceptibility testing by another product or method, if the isolates are still available.

Customers with questions may contact Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics via telephone at 1-800-677-7226, Option 1 (USA/Canada), Mondays – Fridays 7:00 am – 7:00 pm (EST) and Saturdays, Sundays and holidays 7:30 am – 4:00 pm (EST).

¹ Editor's note: Product names are specific and should not be abbreviated or shortened.

The Siemens Healthcare Sector is one of the world's largest suppliers to the healthcare industry and a trendsetter in medical imaging, laboratory diagnostics, medical information technology and hearing aids. Siemens offers its customers products and solutions for the entire range of patient care from a single source – from prevention and early detection to diagnosis, and on to treatment and aftercare. By optimizing clinical workflows for the most common diseases, Siemens also makes healthcare faster, better and more cost-effective. Siemens Healthcare employs some 51,000 employees worldwide and operates around the world. In fiscal year 2012 (to September 30), the Sector posted revenue of 13.6 billion euros and profit of around 1.8 billion euros. For further information please visit: www.siemens.com/healthcare.