
In an unfortunate turn of events, Medline Industries, a prominent medical supply company, is forced to reconsider their product distribution after considerable safety concerns have come to light. The company has found itself navigating a predicament as it proceeds to recall approximately 1.5 million portable adult bed rails disseminated across the United States and Canada. The recall follows closely on the heels of two unfortunate accounts of fatalities associated with these products.
The recall specifically encompasses two models of Medline’s “Bed Assist Bars”. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), in their recent public alert, shed light on the crucial problem. It appears that users of these bed rails stand the risk of becoming caught within the structure of the bed rail or between the bed rail and the side of the mattress. This potentially dangerous entrapment could occur if the bed rail is incorrectly attached to a bed, thereby posing a serious hazard and a conceivable risk of death through asphyxiation.
According to the CPSC, Medline has already received two reports of fatal entrapments connected with the recalled Bed Assist Bars in the United States. The tragedies unfolded in two separate elder care facilities – a 76-year-old woman lost her life in 2019 in an Iowa senior nursing facility, and more recently, an 87-year-old woman died in a South Carolina residential care facility in 2023. An additional incident involving injury has also been reported in the U.S., as per an announcement by Health Canada. However, no injuries or incidents have been reported to Medline from Canada as yet.
In a public statement, Medline expressed its understanding that the reported fatalities due to entrapment resulted from the bed rails being insecurely attached to the bed, leading to the unfortunate incidents of users being trapped between the rail and mattress. Headquartered in Northfield, Illinois, Medline urged all its customers to vigilantly follow warnings and instructions accompanying its products. Despite these precautionary measures, the company deemed it crucial for customers affected by this recall to participate in their recall initiative. They confirmed they had coordinated thoroughly with the CPSC, strongly backing the agency’s unwavering commitment to consumer safety.
Medline revealed it had sold about 1.5 million units of the controversial Bed Assist Bars from July 2009 through March 2024, in the U.S., through their exclusive websites and major online retailers including Amazon and Walmart. Prices of these products ranged from $32 to $64. Additionally, around 5,500 units were sold in Canada between February 2013 and March 2024.
The contentious bed rails, manufactured in China, can be identified by two model numbers: MDS6800BA and MDS6800BAH. Finally, both the CPSC and Health Canada have strongly encouraged consumers to stop using the recalled products and have asked them to reach out to Medline for a refund.