In its ongoing mission to keep Canadian consumers safe from products that might injure or kill them, Health Canada has issued a new round of recall notices.
Here’s this week’s list.
Expanded Recall on Samsung Note 7 smartphone
It seems the exploding battery issue hasn’t gone away. Samsung Electronics has expanded the recall on its Note 7 smartphones — including recalling the replacement phones provided under the previous recall. The phone comes in black, silver or blue.
- Black SM-N930WZKAXAC 887276171883 SMN930WK64 Black, 64GB
- Silver SM-N930WZSAXAC 887276177229 SMN930WS64 Silver, 64GB
- Blue SM-N930WZBAXAC 887276177243 SMN930WB64 Blue, 64GB
The Samsung Note 7 smartphone lithium-ion battery has the potential to overheat and burn, posing a potential fire hazard.
Health Canada has not received any reports of consumer incidents or injuries related to the use of this product in Canada.
Samsung Electronics Canada Inc. has received four reports of phone batteries overheating with one report of a minor burn injury to a consumers forearm with the original Note 7 device. There have been no reported incidents on the replacement Note 7 devices in Canada.
Approximately 39,000 of the recalled smartphones were sold or distributed in Canada, of which 22,000 were included in the original recall.
The recalled smartphones were sold or distributed from Aug. 19 to Oct. 10.
Consumers should immediately stop using and power down the Samsung Note 7 smartphone and return the phone to their point of purchase for an exchange or device refund. For consumers who purchased their Samsung Note7 on Samsung.com, Samsung Electronics Canada Inc. will email these consumers the details on how to return their device and obtain a device refund.
For more information, consumers may contact Samsung Electronics Canada Inc. by telephone toll-free at 1-855-747-6520 from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. (ET) Monday through Saturday.
Battery in implantable defibrillators could be defective
Health Canada is advising Canadians that some batteries in implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICD) and cardiac resynchronization therapy devices (CRT-D) manufactured by St. Jude Medical may deplete earlier than expected.
Early battery depletion may occur suddenly, anywhere between hours and days, and without warning.
According to the company, the chance of early battery depletion is small and appears to occur two to three years after implantation. Devices manufactured after May 23, 2015, are not affected by this issue.
If you or someone you know received the device prior to that date, check the list of the following affected devices:
- Fortify Assura DR
- Fortify Assura VR
- Fortify DR
- Fortify ST DR
- Fortify ST VR
- Fortify VR
- Quadra Assura
- Quadra Assura MP
- Unify Assura
- Unify
- Unify Quadra CRT-D
If your device is on this list, Health Canada urges you to contact the clinic responsible for follow-up care immediately for information and advice. Physicians can identify premature battery depletion through remote monitoring or in-person visits.
St. Jude Medical has informed physicians and hospital administrators of this issue, including advising them not to use affected products in storage. The Canadian Heart Rhythm Society will also provide information to clinics, including a procedure for patient monitoring and follow-up.
Incidents have been reported in Canada associated with early battery depletion. In most cases, battery depletion was discovered during routine follow-up medical visits without any reported symptoms.
However, in two cases, patients reported symptoms such as loss of consciousness necessitating CPR, shortness of breath and fatigue. There are no known deaths related to this problem in Canada. Internationally, there have been two deaths and ten serious events (e.g., fainting, chest pain) possibly associated with this issue.
If you do not already use remote monitoring for your device, contact your follow-up clinic to discuss the possibility of using Merlin@Home, St. Jude Medical's remote monitoring system.
Madison Mill baby gate poses strangulation hazard
Madison Mill Inc. has recalled its Madison Mill Foldaway Gate after Health Canada testing found the device does not meet Canadian guidelines and could pose a strangulation or entrapment risk to young children.
An opening located at the top of the gate is wider than permitted, Health Canada reports, creating an entrapment and strangulation hazard. Neither Health Canada nor Madison Mill Inc. report any incidents or injuries related to the use of these gates in Canada.
The products are:
- Madison Mill 23 Foldaway Gate, Extends up to 3 feet (36")
- Madison Mill 25 Foldaway Gate, Extends up to 5 feet (60")
Approximately 68,410 units of the recalled gates were sold in Canada at various retailers and online between January 2013 and October 2016.
Health Canada says consumers should immediately stop using the recalled expansion gates and contact Madison Mill for instructions on how to return the product.
Consumers may contact Madison Mill Inc. by telephone at 615-351-3079 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (ET) or by email.
Autocar issues recall on two truck models
Truck manufacturer Autocar has issued a recall on the XSPOTTER and XPERT models of its vehicles. The company reports the steering linkage castle nuts may not have been tightened to specification. If the castle nuts were to come completely loose, the steering linkage could separate without warning.
This could result in a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash causing injury and/or damage to property. Correction: Dealers will inspect the castle nuts, and if necessary, tighten them to the proper specification.
This affects vehicles made in the 2015 production year.
Newmar motorhome with wheelchair lift recalled
Motorhome manufacturer Newmar has recalled its Canyon Star Class A (2012 model year) after discovering the wheelchair lift base may have been assembled with bolts that do not meet specifications.
If the bolts were to break, it could cause the lift to move unintentionally, increasing the risk of injury to the lift operator. Correction: Dealers will replace the Grade 2 bolts with Grade 5 bolts.
Report complaints about health products to Health Canada by calling toll-free to 1-800-267-9675.
