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# Device Recalls Down, Drug Recalls Up in 3rd Quarter
- URL: https://www.fdaweb.com/device-recalls-down-drug-recalls-up-in-3rd-quarter/
- Published: 2017-11-08T12:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-14T23:00:49.000Z
- Author: David McFarland
- Tags: Drugs, Devices, #legacy-id-D5140081

Stericycle Expert Solutions says that medical device recalls fell 39% to 167 in the third quarter of 2017\. It was the lowest quarter for the industry since the fourth quarter of 2011\. Despite the steep drop, however, the group [says](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/allergic-reaction-allergens-cause-dangerous-spike-in-fda-recalled-food-units-in-q3-300550842.html?tc=eml%5Fcleartime&ref=fdaweb.com), recalled units increased 1% to 68 million.

“The main reason was sterility issues,” Stericycle says, “causing 89.4% of all medical device recalled units. Software issues were the biggest cause of recalls at 24.6%, making it the top recall cause for the sixth quarter in a row.”

For the third quarter, pharmaceutical recalls increased 3% to 89, the highest since the fourth quarter of 2014\. “More significantly,” the group says, “the number of recalled drug units spiked 290%, the highest total of any quarter since Q1 2012\. The chief cause was sterility problems, which accounted for 96.7% of all recalled units, largely from one pharmaceutical manufacturer.”