Medtronic Issues Warning Regarding Unauthorized Sale of Stolen Scopes

Medtronic has been prompted to issue a warning after discovering that unauthorized third-party vendors were offering a number of laryngoscopes for sale via a variety of social media sites. The manufacturer has said that the scopes are flawed and may pose a significant risk to the health and safety of patients. They also claimed that the items had been stolen.

The McGRATH MAC video laryngoscope is a piece of medical equipment used to aid in the process of tracheal intubation. This is often done in emergency scenarios in which a patient is in an extremely critical situation. The compromised scopes, however, did not fare well in a quality assessment and were scheduled to be destroyed.

The company stated that the pirated items, which assist in observing the internal structure of the trachea during the installation of an intubation tube, did not meet the requirements of its quality testing and were never allowed for sale or distribution. 

Medtronic is currently working with regulatory authorities and criminal enforcement agencies to take down illicit advertising and retrieve stolen, faulty equipment. However, it is quite unlikely that all of the stolen devices can be recovered at this late stage. In light of the potential for serious consequences or even fatal outcomes, Medtronic is advising healthcare professionals and patients against using the scopes for any intubation operation. 

In its notice, the firm stated, “These affected products are defective and should not be used. Medtronic is working closely with regulatory authorities and law enforcement organizations to help ensure that unauthorized advertisements are being removed as identified, and actions to recover the stolen defective products are underway.”

The products in question may be identified by checking for the existence of a serial number and packing in one of the two containers that have been allocated. Products having the item code 301-000-000, in addition to products without serial numbers, should all be deemed to be faulty and subject to a recall.

In the warning, Medtronic included a comprehensive list of the serial numbers associated with the potentially hazardous laryngoscopes. If anyone has any information regarding the marketing or sale of items that may have been stolen, they have been advised to reach out to Medtronic Customer Service at the number 800-962-9888. 

The company itself did not comment on how its items were stolen or how they made their way into social media marketplaces where they were being sold to consumers. 

In other news, Medtronic partnered with Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) to launch the Research & Development Engagement program, aimed at offering grants to bolster innovation, cultivate ideas, and foster solutions in the fields of STEM, medical technology, and business research. This initiative will be specifically targeted at select Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).