Contaminated Drugs Possibly Sent to Nursing Homes

Shannon Weidemann

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A drug supplier to nursing homes around the country has issued a drug recall for products that may have been contaminated with penicillin. Omnicare Inc. repackages drugs that are then sent to nursing homes. All drugs that may have been contaminated went through their Toledo facility Heartland Repack Services.

In its Feb. 16 response to the FDA warning letter, obtained by The Enquirer through the Freedom of Information Act, Omnicare said it will recall and destroy all drugs repackaged at Heartland. That includes drugs returned to the company from seven previous recalls.

Because Omnicare closed Heartland last July 27, the likelihood of its products sitting unused in nursing homes is low, say people familiar with nursing home drug procurement.

"There are probably very few medications that are remaining at the nursing home level," said Tom Clark, director of planning and advocacy for the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists in Alexandria, Va. "Typically the pharmacy sends out no more than a 30-day supply of medications. The pharmacy may stock up and may still have some medications around, but it wouldn't be a huge amount this far down the road."

Omnicare is currently working on quality issues and trying to restore their services to their customers. 10 percent of people have an allergy to penicillin.