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FDA warns of stolen inhalers' safety

WASHINGTON, July 16 (UPI) -- Federal officials warned the U.S. public against using certain stolen Advair Diskus inhalers, saying their safety and effectiveness can't be assured.

Advair Diskus is an inhaler used to treat patients with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

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About 25,600 inhalers were stolen in August 2009 from a GlaxoSmithKline warehouse near Richmond, Va., the Federal Drug Administration said Friday in a release. Devices found recently were the first from the stolen lots to surface, but federal officials said more stolen inhalers may be on the market.

The lot numbers, doses, and quantities of the stolen Advair Diskus inhalers are:

-- Lot 9ZP2255 - NDC 0173-0696-00, Advair Diskus 250/50, 60 Dose, Exp: Sep 2010 (14,400 inhalers).

-- Lot 9ZP3325 - NDC 0173-0697-00, Advair Diskus 500/50, 60 Dose, Exp: Sep 2010 (11,200 inhalers).

Patients with inhalers carrying these lot numbers should stop using them immediately, call GlaxoSmithKline's Customer Response Center at 1-888-825-5249 and consult with their physician or pharmacist to get a replacement.

Pharmacists and wholesalers who find Advair Diskus inhalers with these lot numbers should remove them from shelves and contact the FDA's Office of Criminal Investigations at 800-551-3989.

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