Abbott Laboratories recalls millions of diabetes testing strips over incorrect readings

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has said that Abbott Laboratories is recalling up to 359 million testing strips used by diabetics because they can give falsely low blood sugar readings. The testing strips are used to help diabetes patients check their blood sugar levels. But the FDA says the products being recalled by Abbott can give inaccurately low measurements. As a result, patients may try to raise their blood sugar levels unnecessarily or fail to detect dangerously high blood sugar levels. The FDA said the problems are caused by a defect that limits the amount of blood absorbed by each strip. North Chicago-based Abbott is recalling 359 lots marketed under a half-dozen brand names, including: Precision Xceed Pro, Precision Xtra, Medisense Optium, Optium, OptiumEZ and ReliOn Ultima

Abbott to stop marketing the obesity medicine sibutramine in Canada

"Abbott will voluntarily withdraw sibutramine from the Canadian market after discussion with Health Canada. Sibutramine is marketed by Abbott in Canada as Meridia

Abbott's bioabsorbable stent featured in Popular Science

"Every year, 800,000 Americans elect to have a tiny metal-mesh tube inserted into their coronary artery to prop it open and improve blood flow to cardiac muscle tissue. It's an easy choice - the alternative entails cracking open the chest and operating on a stopped heart. The tube, or stent, is permanent, but the vessel hardens over it within months. After that, it becomes a nuisance. The metal blocks x-rays and MRI scans, and it can catch blood cells and form a dangerous clot. Now medical-equipment manufacturer Abbott Laboratories has developed a stent that opens the artery and then simply disintegrates."