PureWick External Catheter for Women-Wick Product Usage: A flexible, contoured external catheter (a Wick) is…
Medical device recall Z-1485-2017. Published in FDA’s Enforcement Report on Mar 29, 2017.
No Watch here, and no alerts: openFDA asks that its enforcement data “should not be used as a method to collect data to issue alerts to the public, nor should it be used to track the lifecycle of a recall” (openFDA). For FDA’s own recall emails, subscribe at FDA. FDA’s own record is on accessdata.fda.gov.
The short answer
Published in FDA’s Enforcement Report on Mar 29, 2017. Copied from openFDA on Oct 20, 2026.
- Class II FDA’s class
- Terminated its status, in FDA’s file
- Nationwide FDA’s word for where it went
- 176,863 units how much, in FDA’s words
Every line below is in FDA’s own words, with its source beside it. FDA’s terms are explained in FDA’s own words.
How serious is it, by FDA’s class?
Class II, the middle of FDA’s three classes.
“Products that might cause a temporary health problem, or pose only a slight threat of a serious nature. Example: a drug that is under-strength but that is not used to treat life-threatening situations.”
openFDA, in plain words, its enforcement report fields.
“Class II is a situation in which use of, or exposure to, a violative product may cause temporary or medically reversible adverse health consequences or where the probability of serious adverse health consequences is remote.”
FDA’s rule, 21 CFR 7.3(m)(2), eCFR.
What these words mean is quoted from openFDA’s field reference and 21 CFR 7.3.
What’s wrong with it?
PureWick is recalling external catheter for women Wicks because the labeling did not contain the phrase “This product contains dry natural rubber” and/or erroneously included the phrase “Latex-free.” The white gauze component of the PureWick contains dry natural rubber.
FDA, Device recall enforcement reports. Released Oct 14, 2026. Updated weekly.
Which ones are recalled?
PureWick External Catheter for Women-Wick Product Usage: A flexible, contoured external catheter (a Wick) is positioned between the labia and gluteus muscles. The function of the Wick is to draw urine away from the body through the Wick to a storage container away from the body through a PVC tube via a continuous, low pressure vacuum pump (PureWick DryDoc) or to a hospital wall vacuum. There is never a reversal of flow direction or static state of fluid between the device and the patient. Also, the dry natural rubber component is double wrapped with 75D polyester and it is not stretched in its application to expose bare rubber to a user. The Wick does not enter the vagina (Figure 1).
176,863 units, in FDA’s words.
FDA, Device recall enforcement reports. Released Oct 14, 2026. Updated weekly.
Codes to check against yours
Item # 625
Copied exactly as FDA lists them: lot and serial numbers, dates and other codes on the product or its label.
Where did it go?
FDA’s words for the “general area of initial distribution”: where the firm first shipped it.
US: Nationwide Distribution
These words name no state.
What FDA means by nationwide
“The term “nationwide” is defined to mean the fifty states or a significant portion. Note that subsequent distribution by the consignees to other parties may not be included.”
openFDA, its enforcement report fields.
What these words mean is quoted from openFDA’s field reference and 21 CFR 7.3.
Is it still going on?
Terminated, in FDA’s file.
“FDA has determined that all reasonable efforts have been made to remove or correct the violative product in accordance with the recall strategy, and proper disposition has been made according to the degree of hazard.”
openFDA, on “Terminated”, its enforcement report fields.
What these words mean is quoted from openFDA’s field reference and 21 CFR 7.3.
- The firm began the recall on Feb 24, 2016.
- FDA classified it on Mar 18, 2017.
- FDA’s Enforcement Report published it on Mar 29, 2017.
- FDA terminated it on May 9, 2017.
FDA, Device recall enforcement reports. Released Oct 14, 2026. Updated weekly.
Who is recalling it?
- Purewick Corporation, of El Cajon, CA.
- Who began it, in FDA’s words: Voluntary: Firm initiated.
- How the firm first told its customers: Letter.
FDA, Device recall enforcement reports. Released Oct 14, 2026. Updated weekly.
What this record can’t tell you
- Whether your own one is affected: compare the codes, dates and numbers above with yours. When unsure, ask the firm or the store.
- Where it went after the firm’s first shipments. FDA’s words cover the firm’s initial distribution, and, in FDA’s words, “subsequent distribution by the consignees to other parties may not be included.”
- How many have been returned, corrected or destroyed: FDA’s report doesn’t say.
- Whether anyone was hurt or fell ill: the report doesn’t say.
- How current it is: openFDA publishes FDA’s Enforcement Report weekly, after FDA does, and a firm can announce a recall weeks before it appears there. openFDA’s own caution: “This data should not be used as a method to collect data to issue alerts to the public, nor should it be used to track the lifecycle of a recall.”
- A product with no recall here isn’t safe by that: FDA’s report lists the recalls FDA classified, and when.
Hearth Record wrote these lines; the quotations are FDA’s.
Sources
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U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Device recall enforcement reports.
Released Oct 14, 2026 and checked Oct 20, 2026. Updated weekly. Public domain (CC0 1.0, openFDA). FDA asks that nothing suggest it endorses this site.
Recalls of food, medicines, medical devices, pet food and animal drugs are from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). FDA does not endorse Hearth Record. openFDA: “Do not rely on openFDA to make decisions regarding medical care.” Copied on Oct 20, 2026.