eyedrops

Repeated recalls of eyedrops are drawing new attention to the limited powers U.S. regulators have to oversee medical products made overseas.

U.S. health inspectors found a host of sanitation and manufacturing problems at an Indian plant that recently recalled eyedrops sold in the U.S.

The teen was born with a rare genetic condition that causes blisters all over his body and in his eyes. But his skin improved when he joined a clinical trial to test the world’s first topical gene therapy. His doctor wondered if it could be adapted for his eyes.

The CDC has identified 81 patients in 18 states, including Florida, with the rare strain of P. aeruginosa. This represents an increase of 13 patients since the last update.

FDA inspectors found about a dozen problems with how Global Pharma Healthcare made and tested the drops during a "deficient manufacturing process” at a plant in India.

The FDA posted separate recall notices for certain eyedrops distributed by Pharmedica and Apotex after the companies said they are voluntarily pulling several lots of their products from the market.

Some nasty eye infections in California led health officials to link a superbug bacteria to potentially contaminated eyedrops imported from India. At last count, 58 Americans in 13 states have been infected.