EZRICARE® ARTIFICIAL TEARS LINKED TO INFECTIONS AND VISION ISSUES IN RECENTLY FILED LAWSUITS
1-800-LAW-FIRM is reviewing potential lawsuits involving an outbreak of a potentially deadly antibiotic-resistant bacteria that has been linked to EzriCare® Artificial Tears, an over-the-counter eye-drop formulation sold through major retailers, including Amazon and Walmart. A study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found the presence of a bacteria known as Carbapenem-Resistant Pseudomonas Aeruginosa (CRPA), which may cause blindness, respiratory infections, sepsis, and death, in EzriCare’s lubricant eye drops.
If you or a loved one developed an eye infection or experienced vision loss after using
EzriCare® Artificial Tears, you might be able to file a lawsuit for your injuries and pursue compensation to hold the manufacturer accountable. Schedule a no-obligation, free claim review with a member of our team by filling out the following form.
FREE CLAIM REVIEW
WHY ARE YOU INVESTIGATING INJURY CLAIMS INVOLVING EZRICARE® ARTIFICIAL TEARS Product?
On February 1, 2023, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control advised consumers and healthcare providers to immediately stop using EzriCare® Artificial Tears as it probes a “multistate cluster” of infections that testing has linked to the eye drops.
The specimens collected for the cluster’s identification were gathered between May and December of 2022. Results in some patients included “permanent vision loss resulting from ocular infection, hospitalization and [the] death of one patient with bloodstream infection,” the CDC said, noting that the bacterial infections are often resistant to antibiotics.
The CDC ultimately concluded that EzriCare® Artificial Tears was likely the primary culprit for the infections since most patients identified as part of the cluster reported using the product before they exhibited symptoms. The CDC identified this infection cluster containing 56 isolates from 50 patients in partnership with state and local health departments across the following states:
California - Colorado - Connecticut
Florida - New Jersey - New York
New Mexico - Nevada - Texas
Utah - Washington
DID THE FDA ISSUE A WARNING REGARDING THE PRODUCT?
Yes, on February 2, 2023, the FDA issued a warning that stated, “FDA also placed Global Pharma Healthcare Private Limited on import alert for providing an inadequate response to a records request and for not complying with [current good manufacturing practice] CGMP requirements.”
Later that day, Global Pharma Healthcare announced via the FDA website it was recalling all of its Artificial Tears Lubricant Eye Drop products, distributed by EzriCare, LLC and Delsam Pharma, due to possible contamination.
WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS AND COMPLICATIONS OF EZRICARE® ARTIFICIAL TEARS INFECTIONS?
The early symptoms of infection from EzriCare® Artificial Tears are specific to the eyes and may include:
Redness of the eye or eyelid
Eye discomfort - Blurred vision
Yellow or clear fluids leaking from the eye
A sensation of a foreign body in the eye
According to the CDC, when antibiotic therapy fails to kill or suppress the bacteria, the following conditions may develop:
Endophthalmitis - Respiratory infection
Keratitis - Urinary tract infection
Sepsis Hospitalization - Death
What should YOU do if YOU have used EzriCare® eye drops?
Discontinue use immediately and seek medical attention if you develop eye infection symptoms. The CDC is not recommending testing for asymptomatic patients at this time. If you test positive for P. aeruginosa, follow your medical provider’s recommendations and promptly contact the team at 1-800-LAW-FIRM.
Since the litigation remains in the early stages, with the first EzriCare® lawsuits being filed in February of 2023, there have not been any global EzriCare® settlements or lawsuit payouts. However, as the cases progress, the manufacturer is expected to engage in settlement talks to resolve the EzriCare® claims.