OmniPod Users: connect here!

I thought this was only for the viles of 50 and the recalled lots were posted months ago. Is this a new recall?

New recall of all lots of strips used in the PDM.

Just got off the phone with Abbott and yes they are recalling all the strips we use with our PDM. They are replacing the strips but they haven’t even contacted pharmacy or Drs yet. Call them before you fill your next script.

Is this an Omnipod issue or an Abbott issue? I just called Abbott and the are sending me a new Freestyle meter as a backup and 400 Strips in the next 3-5 days. This on top of the multiple pod failures is making me wonder if Insulet is a reliable company anymore. VERY frustrating!

This is Abbott because it includes their own older meters as well. They didn't give me a backup meter though!! I told them I didn't have one and they told me to "take precautions."

It is an Abbott issue not an Insulet issue. Abbott recalled 20 lots of these strips in the summer but apparently there are far more faulty strips than just the 20 lots they have already recalled and they have finally just sucked it up and recalled all the strips that are in use in the Omnipod PDM and in 2 styles of older meters the Freestyle Flash and the original Freestyle meter. Neither of which has been manufactured since 2010.
https://www.abbottdiabetescare.com/press-room/2013/2013-g.html

I am going to LMAO if they send out the same test strips just with a different code.

I have not received a recall notice from Abbott or Insulet yet. Thank God for my friends here at tudiabetes!!

Funny thing is that the built in Freestyle meter was one of the several features that influenced my decision to go with Omnipod over other insulin pumps. ::sigh::

If the new strips they are sending us works with our PDM then shouldn’t they also work with our " older" back up meters. Both Insulet and Abbott assured me it was a Test strip problem not a meter problem. Should I also ask for a new back up meter?

Right! Why do they work on the Freedom but not the Flash? (note both of these use the regular strips not the lite strips)

Am I the only one NOT having a problem with my test strips and my PDM? I never got any letter from Abbott .

It is not all the strips. You still have a batch that is ok but that doesn’t mean your next batch will be. No one knows yet we are on top of this because that is the kind of community we are but Drs and pharmacy don’t even know yet…letters will come.

All of my strips are also fine even the ones I got yesterday but Abbott told me to stop using them as soon as new ones arrive.

I spent over an hour on the phone last nite with a very nice man at Abbott who helped me but very S LO W L Y. Each time I asked a question he had to ask a supervisor who did not have all the answers either. I asked if after I exhausted all of the free 400 strips they were FedEx’ng me the “good” strips would be available for purchase. No one could truly answer that but I was told they are shipping the “newly remanufactured strips” directly to Omnipod users 1st before pharmacies “until are supplies are more sufficient”. But I was then asked how long 400 might last me/how often I test. (Tip: give them your highest estimate here) So then arrangements were made to ship me another 300 strips in a 2nd, later shipment “from the second new batch” but then requested my doctors name, pharmacy name, & insurance info. I was NOT asked for a method of payment (like a credit card #) for any copayment. This apparently is only requested if you “need” more than 400 strips before they’re publicly available at the undisclosed (unknown??) time frame.
When I asked how long the “issue” with the strips may have existed to determine if my past settings etc were possibly erroneous, I got a HUGE
scripted run around (by the supervisor’s supervisor!?) but the 1st supervisor, before quickly transferring me, mentioned “since November’s 1st recall” then quickly coughed & corrected herself by saying she really wasn’t the person who could say.

Frustrated seems such a mild word for what I am feeling.

I have not received any correspondence from Abbott. I get my testing supplies , now, from Sterling Medical. In the past, Bryam.
Oh well, so far so good!

I was told by the supervisor’s supervisor that the Omnipod PDM contains an “old technology meter” and the Freedom meter that I got with it contains the “new technology meter” and it’s the old technology meter that is having difficulty with the strips and they’re remanufacturing strips to work with both the old technology and new technology meters that take the Freestyle standard strips.

Oy SueSue thanks for taking the time to write this all out. I contacted Abbott a few weeks ago about a batch of strips that failed control solution tests in 2 PDM's but passed in my Freedom meter. They asked me for the lot number and overnight sent me 200 replacements with a return kit for the faulty lot of strips. Now I am wondering is my most recent batch of strips ok to use ? Have they already gone through the "remanufacturing process" ? Or do they need to be replaced as well. I think I will call Abbott this morning and have them tell me :)I think I will have to talk to the supervisor's supervisor's supervisor to actually get an answer on this one.

Jacks's Mom, that is exactly what they are going to do. I am laughing now because of the fact that they are just now fixing it. I have been using 17 instead of 16 for the code since the beginning because 16 makes it give a lower than true reading. It also makes me laugh that everyone still thinks the new freestyle and freestyle lite strips are different. They are identical and I have tested them in the omnipod, freestyle, freedom, and the insulinx. Readings are always identical. I just can't figure out why they go through the trouble of making different labels and insisting they are different. But on all of them I use code 17 instead of the 16 that's on the label.

OK so I just spent 35 minutes on the phone with Abbott. Started by calling the recall number and quickly ended up talking to a supervisor at Abbott Diabetes Care. He said the strips I got directly from ADC on 2/3 are perfectly ok to use. He let it slip that they already knew about the recall then. The 1100 strips I got from Walgreens mail order in late January are being replaced. 400 now and I am awaiting a call about the remaining 700. Since they all seem to work fine and just require a control solution test to be certain it looks as though I will have some extras.

What info do I need to have available before I call the recall number for Abbott?