10 medical devices found to be defective

Some over-the-counter medical devices sold in Korea are defective, the Korea Food and Drug Administration announced yesterday.

After testing 59 products, the agency announced that 10 of them - three contact lenses products deemed to be unsafe, four personal heating items, two water purifiers and one thermometer - did not meet quality requirements.

“We will ask the contact lens companies to collect or dispose of the faulty products and ask the companies that manufactured the remaining seven to fix the problems,” the KFDA said in an official release.

The contact lens products failed the KFDA’s toxicity test. Four personal heating products were found to have inaccurate temperature labeling and lack safety devices. The water purifiers reportedly failed to adequately filter water, while the thermometer registered inaccurate temperatures.

The administration tested for electrical and mechanical safety and safe human contact, among other things. The KFDA added that administrative measures for these 10 products will be taken as soon as possible.

By Cho Jae-eun [jainnie@joongang.co.kr]