Nova Diabetes Care and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) officials have announced a voluntary recall of 21 lots of blood glucose test strips, including the Nova Max Blood Glucose Test Strips and the Nova Max Plus Glucose Meter Kits. The defective strips, which were manufactured from December 2011 to April 2013, may falsely report abnormally high blood glucose, which could result in dangerous errors in insulin dosing.

Pharmacists and other health care providers should immediately stop distributing the strips and verify the lot number by calling the Nova Diabetes Care Customer Service at 800/681-7390. Replacements are being offered at no cost. Though the FDA advises patients to discontinue using these test strips immediately, any patients who must use the affected strips should be instructed to follow the precautions laid out on the Nova Max recall Web page.