Family of diabetic U. of C. student sues Abbott, Walgreen over her death
A University of Chicago law student died after using diabetic test strips that were recalled days after her death, according to a lawsuit filed in Cook County Circuit Court against Chicago-area companies Abbott Laboratories and Walgreen.
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@nowadays Did you actually read the article? The question is about glucose monitoring test strips, not a new medication that she started taking.
Chris with an H
at 9:35 PM March 09, 2015
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Abbie Harper, 23, in her second year of law school, had been diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes as a teenager, according to her family, which filed the suit in late 2014 but chose to speak out publicly Monday.
Harper used Abbott’s FreeStyle-brand test strips and a blood glucose meter in conjunction with an OmniPod insulin pump made by Massachusetts-based Insulet, also a defendant, according to the suit. The suit stated that the products gave Harper falsely low glucose readouts for about two days. As a result, she didn’t take enough insulin and she died Nov. 14, 2013, according to the suit.
Four days later, on Nov. 18, Abbott recalled its FreeStyle test strips because they were found to provide “erroneously low blood glucose results,” in some cases, according to the suit.
“We … believe the evidence will show that the manufacturing error was the tip of the iceberg and that compatibility problems among the devices existed for quite some time before Abbie’s death,” said Corboy & Demetrio attorney Ken Lumb, who is representing the Harpers.
A Chicago Walgreens store filled Harper’s prescription for FreeStyle brand test strips. Walgreen declined to comment on the pending litigation.
“Our sympathies are with the Harper family,” Abbott said in a statement. “We have been committed to supporting people with diabetes for 20 years and the safety and quality of our products is our top priority.”
The young woman’s father, Ken Harper, said he hopes the lawsuit brings awareness to the products that “failed Abbie.”
“Abbie trusted and relied upon her diabetic test strips and glucose monitor,” Ken Harper said. “They were her lifeline.”
ehirst@tribpub.com
Twitter @ellenjeanhirst
Filed under: General Problems
At the time if the sale of the test strips, it was a legal product. I fail to see why Walgreen is a party to this based on what we know. My son has Type I diabetes. He always keeps a back up meter and strips of a different brand. If readings do not appear right, he re tests using another meter. Many diabetics know by his they feel if something is not right. BTW he refuses to use a pump, doesn’t trust them. Likes to measure out his insulin himself to be sure of dosing.
Well the article states the test strips were recalled “days” after her death. Without further information, all we know is that Walgreens sold her test strips that the manufacturer later recalled. Unless something else occurred, I fail to see how Walgreens is responsible for her tragic death. Was she required to use these devices because of her insurance?
Something funny about this. If she reduced her insulin intake, her sugars would be high and she would have noticed this with increased urine output among others. High blood sugar levels would not have killed her in two days.
Well since you’re not a medical doctor, you can’t really make the decision on how she died. Medical doctors do that, as they should. I hope they destroy Walgreens or anyone responsible for this crap. Pharmacists want to be medical doctors and step on their toes, but maybe get THEIR education first!!!! Since pharmacists are reeking havoc in thousands of lives a day. We’re gonna start suing you guys like all the docs used to get sued. Wait for it…..it’s coming. Us patients are FLAMING MAD!
hey, amber… angry much? simple pharmacist makes a valid point. It definitely seems like we’re missing part of the story here and I’d like an unbiased account from somebody other than her parents and their lawyer. maybe you should have gone to pharmacy school. or couldn’t you cut it?
Most likely this will end up with out if court settlements all around. I feel their pain, I had a college friend Type 1 who passed at age 30 from what we used to call ‘brittle diabetes’ in her sleep.