WMT - FDA warns against buying certain eye drops from brands such as CVS Target and Walmart

2023-10-30 17:58:13 ET

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has warned consumers to stop using 26 eye drop products, including brands marketed by CVS Health ( CVS ) and Cardinal Health ( CAH ), due to the potential risk of infections that could cause partial vision loss or blindness.

The drug regulator said it had found unsanitary conditions in the manufacturing facility of the manufacturer of the eye drop products. The agency also found positive bacterial test results from environmental sampling of critical drug production areas in the facility.

In a statement published on Friday, the FDA said that aside from CVS and CAH, the eye drop products were also marketed by Rite Aid ( OTC:RADCQ ) and Velocity Pharma, along with Target's ( TGT ) Up & Up brand. In an update published today, the FDA added the Equate Hydration eye drop sold by Walmart ( WMT ) to the list.

The FDA said that CVS, Rite Aid ( OTC:RADCQ ) and Target ( TGT ) were removing the products from their store shelves and websites, and so was Walmart ( WMT ).

"These products are intended to be sterile. Ophthalmic drug products pose a potential heightened risk of harm to users because drugs applied to the eyes bypass some of the body’s natural defenses," the FDA said in Friday's statement .

"FDA has not received any adverse event reports of eye infection associated with these products at this time," the agency added.

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