Health Canada issued an urgent notice to health care professionals late Wednesday after a hospital found that a box of injectable morphine also had vials labelled as isoproterenol hydrochloride.
The box came from Sandoz Canada Inc. It's unclear if there are other mislabelled boxes in circulation.
Sandoz alerted Health Canada to the apparent mix-up after an unidentified Toronto hospital discovered the mixed vials.
"Healthcare professionals are advised to immediately quarantine any supply of products from the lots specified below until further notice," Health Canada said.
The hospital found vials labelled as 0.2 mg/mL (1 mL) Isoproterenol Hydrochloride Injection USP improperly packaged in a box labelled as containing 2mg/mL (1 mL) ampoules of Morphine Sulfate Injection USP.
Health Canada said that patients given Isoproterenol Hydrochloride Injection USP instead of Morphine Sulfate Injection USP "can result in serious health effects."
The agency said Isoproterenol Hydrochloride is associated with heart-rhythm problems "which may be life threatening," headache, tremors and sweating.
"We have not received reports of this affecting any patients, which is obviously the most important thing," said Steve Outhouse, a spokesman for federal Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq.
"By calling for an immediate quarantine, this will help reduce future risk to Canadians related to these potentially mislabelled drugs," Outhouse told CP late Wednesday by email.
The affected products are:
- Morphine sulfate injection USP, 2mg/ml (1ml), DIN 2242484, UPC 057513056420, Lot CC2824 exp. 2014-12
- Isoproterenol hydrochloride injection USP, 0.2 mg/ml (1ml), DIN 897639, UPC 057513046001, Lot CB8787, exp. 2012-11
Canada is already struggling with a national drug shortage because Sandoz, the biggest supplier of injectable drugs, was forced to close its plant in Boucherville, Que.
With files from The Canadian Press
