The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is encouraging the public to stop using ErziCare Artificial Tears as officials investigate 50 eye infections, including one that was fatal.
EzriCare said it has not initiated a recall but is discouraging the use of the product.
“EzriCare has received no consumer complaints or adverse event report related to the investigation to date,” ErziCare said. “Also, as of this date, EzriCare has not received communication from any regulatory agency providing any outcomes or details to EzriCare about the ongoing investigation.”
Officials said isolates detected VIM‐GES‐CRPA, which are highly antimicrobial drug-resistant pathogens that are uncommon in the United States, according to the National Institutes of Health. The CDC said some infections caused permanent vision loss.
The CDC said that the majority of the patients said they used artificial tears products before infection, with EzriCare Artificial Tears being the most common. The CDC said in January that testing of unopened products is ongoing.
“CDC recommends that clinicians and patients immediately discontinue the use of EzriCare Artificial Tears until the epidemiological investigation and laboratory analyses are complete,” the CDC said.