Drug-testing lab forced to stop brewing BEER next to equipment after being caught by the FDA (for the 5th time in 10 years)
By Mia De Graaf
Daily Mail
September 21, 2018
A company that tests over-the-counter products has been caught brewing beer in its lab - for the fifth time.
Pharmaceutical Laboratories and Consultants Inc, just outside Chicago, was exposed as a clandestine microbrewer after FDA agents came round for a routine inspection last week.
Inspectors found 'brewing equipment', including open beer bottles, 'co-mingled within the same refrigerator' as their tools to test drugs, and a fermenter next to where drugs are prepared, warmed and stored.
It is hardly the first time for this lab: the same firm was also reprimanded for brewing beer within feet of testing equipment in 2007, 2009, 2012 and 2014.
Once again, the company, has been cited for creating 'unacceptable risks'.
'Conducting your testing operations in a space shared with a microbrewery is inappropriate,' the FDA letter, addressed to lab owner James R Stephen, states.
Beyond the issue of brewing beer, they FDA inspectors also concluded that the lab's test results seemed flawed, without adequate measures to assure that the drugs hadn't been contaminated.
Specifically, they found the lab could not adequately detect the riskiest bacteria, including Salmonella and E. coli.
Mr Stephen has been forced to remove all the kegs and evict all brewery employees within 15 days.
Just enough time for one last round.
No comments:
Post a Comment