Advair Inhalers Stolen From GSK Warehouse

Cheryl A. Thompson

BETHESDA, MD 25 August 2009—GlaxoSmithKline announced Monday that 25,600 Advair Diskus units had been stolen three weeks ago from the company's warehouse near Richmond, Virginia.

The August 2 theft, the company said, involved 14,400 Advair Diskus 250/50 inhalers from lot 9ZP2255 and 11,200 Advair Diskus 500/50 inhalers from lot 9ZP3325. Each inhaler contained 60 blisters of fluticasone propionate 250 or 500 μg and salmeterol 50 μg inhalation powder.

All of the units were awaiting distribution to community pharmacies, the company said.

Anyone who has information about the theft or has received a suspicious or unsolicited offer for Advair Diskus units in lot 9ZP2255 or 9ZP3325 is being encouraged by GlaxoSmithKline to call the FDA Office of Criminal Investigations at 800-551-3989.