Medical device recall: aluminum tainted dialysis fluid

Massachusetts based manufacturer NxStage Medical Inc. recalled 140,000-150,000 units of concentrated dialysis fluid because it contained excess aluminum. Intended for portable home systems used for kidney dialysis, the tainted fluid was made between April 2013 and February 2014.  According to the Boston Globe: "…the recall has shocked and upset patients, who, because their diseased kidneys can’t clean wastes from blood, rely on NxStage’s products almost daily…Patients said bad concentrate raised their aluminum levels to two, three, or even four times their normal levels, causing them to feel anemic and sick."