Q4 FDA Recalls Lowest Since 2012

The debacle over scopes not cleared by the FDA and the superbug story emerging out of California notwithstanding, medical devices appear to be safer than they have been in years.

A report from Stericycle Expert Solutions reveals that the fourth quarter saw less recalls in pharmaceuticals, medical devices and food than at any time since 2012. There were a total of  398 recalls representing a 23% decrease from the prior quarter.

In medical devices, there were 220 recalls, a drop of 26% from the previous quarter. While there were less recalls, more units were recalled in the fourth quarter of last year - in fact number of units recalled jumped 27% to 23.8 million in the fourth quarter of 2014.

And 60% of recalls affected the U.S. and at least one other country. One company was responsible for 14 recall events in the fourth quarter, but the report did not identify the company. A spokeswoman declined to identify the company citing Stericycle's policy.

 Here's an infographic with the above data: