Carrier brand air conditioning alert due to risk of fire

By the A.M. Costa Rica staff

The Ministry of Economy reports discontinuation of the sale of models of Carrier split air conditioning systems, after receiving five alerts in Canada and one in the U.S., about technical failures in this type of product.

According to the ministry, although the international alert does not involve products manufactured by Foshan Midea Carrier Air-Conditioning Equipment Co., it does affect components of air conditioners that have been sold in Canada and the United States.

The company Carrier InterAmerica Corporation is the importer and distributor of these air conditioners in Costa Rica.

"The company has conducted investigations to try to determine the cause of the incidents where in some cases, it has been shown that the fan motor component experiences failures and causes the parts of the unit to burn," said the ministry in its statement.

Due to the risk that parts of the air conditioning equipment may burn and cause a fire, the authorities call on the public not to buy this equipment. And if you bought it, return it to the store where it was purchased.

Apparently, 299 of these units were sold in Costa Rica. The manufacturing dates are between 2013 and 2017.

According to the ministry, production has been halted. And, all the equipment that has not been sold and is in the company's warehouses has been isolated and will not be sold.

Affected products can be identified by the model number found on the right side of the unit. And, the units were designed for use in homes or companies.

The authorities are calling on people who have purchased this product, to call the Ministry of Economy at 2549-1400 to learn the procedure for returning this product.

According to the ministry, the company that distributes the air conditioners will make a series of repairs on the equipment to avoid the risk of fire.

"The company will proceed with modifying (referring to the air conditioners) and installing an external fuse and a harness directly to the fan motor circuit of the outdoor unit, at no cost," said the ministry in its statement.

According to the ministry, people who have purchased this equipment have a period of one year to return the air conditioning equipment.

Regarding the latest alerts of products with defects or risk to consumers, in July, as reported in AM Costa Rica, the Ministry of Health gave the alert about the use of Biocell brand breast implants.


The National Technovigilance Center of the Ministry of Health has asked plastic surgeons to suspend the use of Biocell brand breast implants.

The ministry cited an update from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration that showed an association between these types of breast implants and a type of cancer called anaplastic large cell lymphoma.

The Food and Drug Administration asked Allergan company to recall all Biocell textured breast implants and tissue expanders in the United States.

Allergan, a company based in Dublin, Ireland, has decided to voluntarily and globally remove all Biocell breast implants and tissue expanders, as a precautionary measure after the notification of the Food and Drug Administration's Report of Medical Devices on worldwide deaths related to these products.

"With this new information, the ministry calls on plastic surgeons to immediately suspend the use of Biocell breast implants from the manufacturer company Allergan," said the ministry in its statement. In addition, the ministry specialist asked plastic surgeons to make contact for more information about the process to follow for this alert.

In June 21st, the Ministry made the first alert on breast implants linked to cancer. The inserts are saline-filled and silicone-filled textured breast implants.

The majority of confirmed cases of anaplastic large cell lymphoma have occurred in people with textured surface implants, although cases have been reported in patients with smooth surface implants, said the ministry in its statement.

This type of tumor is not breast cancer, but it affects the immune system and is usually found in scar tissue and fluid near the implant. In some cases, it can spread throughout the body, the ministry said.

The specialists of the National Technovigilance Center gives a couple of recommendations to women who have had this type of operation:

- It is normal that after surgery there is swelling and pain. But, if the patient notice changes in the way the breast looks or feels after recovering from the surgery, she should contact the doctor immediately to confirm or discard the possibility of anaplastic large cell lymphoma.

- A patient who notices any irregularities associated with implants should notify the National Technovigilance Center. The information will be handled in a confidential manner, the center said.

Although the number of identified cases of anaplastic large cell lymphoma is small compared to the estimated 1.5 million patients who have breast implants worldwide each year, the confirmed data and the published information that has been reviewed to date suggests that patients with breast implants have a higher risk, said Guiselle Rodríguez-Hernández, director of the center.

The Food and Drug updated alert on breast implants can be found here.*

 

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Should the Ministry develop a full media campaign to inform people about the risk of these products? We would like to know your thoughts on this story. Send your comments to news@amcostarica.com

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