In October of 2020 the FDA approved Veklury (remdesivir), which is the first drug that was approved to treat COVID-19, for adults and pediatric patients 12 years and older and weighing above 88 pounds requiring hospitalization. The Mayo Clinic lists a slew of common side effects with Remdesivir including “back pain, chest tightness, chills, cough, dark-colored urine, difficulty swallowing, fast heartbeat, fever, flushing, headache, hives, itching, nausea and vomiting, trouble breathing, unusual tiredness or weakness. Despite these common scary side effects there was something else to cause concern inside a small number of recalled vials of Remdesivir: Glass!
Gilead; the company behind Veklury (remdesivir) is recalling vials of Remdesivir, due to glass contamination. Yahoo News Reported “The company, also called Veklury, announced Friday it was recalling two lots of Remdesivir after receiving a customer complaint that led to an investigation that showed glass particulates in vials.”
A company spokesperson told Bloomberg News that “55,000 vials were being recalled.” Gilead said “the effects of the glass particulates could be as mild as local irritation or swelling or as severe as blocking blood vessels in the heart, brain or lungs that could lead to a stroke or death. Gilead said that there had been no known “adverse reactions reported in connection with the lots recalled.” Insider reports: “The two lots, 2141001-1A and 2141002-1A, were distributed to wholesalers between October 25 and November 2. Around 55,000 vials of the drug — the equivalent of doses for some 11,000 patients — are involved in this recall, according to Gilead spokesman Chris Ridley”