Stericycle ExpertSolutions recently released its report on U.S. product recalls for the fourth quarter of last year.
Here are 10 findings from the Q4 2016 Recall Index report.
Drugs
1. The pharmaceutical industry saw 83 recalls in the fourth quarter of 2016, marking a 28 percent increase from the previous quarter and hitting the highest level since the third quarter of 2014.
2. Failed specifications, sterility issues and mislabeling represented the top three causes for recalls, accounting for 63.9 percent of recalls in the fourth quarter of 2016.
3. The average event size increased to 303,207 units in the fourth quarter of 2016, marking the highest level since the second quarter of 2015.
4. Deviations from the Current Good Manufacturing Practices accounted for 75.6 percent of recalled units, mostly from one large recall, according to the report.
5. Eighty percent of drug recalls were nationwide.
Medical Devices
1. The medical device industry experienced 313 recalls in the fourth quarter of 2016, representing an 8 percent decrease from the previous quarter.
2. Recalled units decreased by 46 percent from the previous quarter to 63.1 million in the fourth quarter of 2016, according to the report.
3. Forty-six companies experienced more than one recall in the fourth quarter of 2016.
4. About 51 percent of devices were recalled in the fourth quarter of 2016 over parts issues and mislabeling. Twenty-three percent of recalls centered on software issues.
5. Sixty-six percent of the device recalls were nationwide, the highest number since the first quarter of 2014.
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