The FDA has recently recalled multiple eye drop brands due to bacterial contamination, which poses severe risks, including infection and, in some cases, vision loss. This wave of recalls, affecting major retailers like CVS, Rite Aid, Target, and Walmart, highlights the challenges of supply chain and production standards within the pharmaceutical industry. Columbia Business School professor Carri Chan emphasizes that shared suppliers across brands heighten susceptibility to widespread recalls. Additionally, as FDA oversight intensifies, it’s likely that the agency will uncover further safety issues, particularly for products like eye drops that demand rigorous sterilization protocols.
These recalls underscore the business imperative for heightened quality control in pharmaceutical manufacturing, especially where contamination can jeopardize brand reputation and customer safety. As contamination risks become more visible, companies must evaluate their supplier relationships, manufacturing facilities, and quality assurance practices.
Discover how these issues affect both consumer safety and industry standards in the evolving landscape of over-the-counter healthcare products.
Read the full article for more.
Mentioned Faculty
Carri Chan
Professor Chan teaches the MBA core Operations Management course and the MBA electives, The US Healthcare System: Structures and Strategies; Healthcare Management, Design, and Strategy; and The Analytics Advantage. Her research is in the area of healthcare operations management. Her primary focus is in data-driven modeling of healthcare systems. Her research combines empirical and mathematical modeling to develop evidence-based approaches to improve patient flow.