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From: TSS ()
Subject: FDA Orders Donor Referral Services and Philip Guyett to Cease Manufacturing Human Cells, Tissues and Cellular and Tissue-Based
Date: August 19, 2006 at 10:14 am PST

Sent: Friday, August 18, 2006 9:23 PM
Subject: FDA Orders Donor Referral Services and Philip Guyett to Cease Manufacturing Human Cells, Tissues and Cellular and Tissue-Based Products (HCT/Ps) and to Retain HCT/Ps

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
P06-116
August 18, 2006
Media Inquiries:
Paul Richards, 301-827-6242
Consumer Inquiries:
888-INFO-FDA

FDA Orders Donor Referral Services and Philip Guyett to Cease Manufacturing Human Cells, Tissues and Cellular and Tissue-Based Products (HCT/Ps) and to Retain HCT/Ps
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today ordered Donor Referral Services (DRS), a human tissue-recovery firm, of Raleigh, NC, and its owner, Philip Guyett, to immediately cease all manufacturing operations, and to retain human cells, tissues, and cellular and tissue-based products (HCT/Ps) after an inspection found serious deficiencies in its manufacturing practices, including those governing donor screening and record keeping.

The order to cease manufacturing and retain HCT/Ps requires DRS and Philip Guyett to immediately suspend any and all manufacturing steps, including but not limited to the recovery and shipment of HCT/Ps. FDA's inspection identified serious violations of the regulations, including the failure to establish and maintain procedures for manufacturing steps performed by DRS. In addition to the above stated violations, FDA also found several instances where records provided by DRS to another HCT/P establishment were at variance with the official death certificates FDA had obtained from the state where the death occurred.

"Patient safety is at the forefront of today's action," said Margaret O'K Glavin, Associate Commissioner, Office of Regulatory Affairs. "Allowing the firm to continue to manufacture would present a danger to public health by increasing the risk of communicable disease transmission."

Firms that recover HCT/Ps obtain tissue from human donors and send the tissue to establishments that process it for use in implantation or transplantation. HCT/Ps are used in a variety of procedures that can save lives, repair limbs, relieve pain or enhance a patient's quality of life.

This action to protect public health is being taken under the agency's new tissue regulations which took effect on May 25, 2005. Among other mandates, the regulations require firms to properly screen and test donors and, when needed, they enable FDA to take swift action in the interest of public health.

"While most tissues are obtained and manufactured using appropriate protections, some operators are not following acceptable practices," said Jesse L. Goodman, MD, MPH, director of FDA's Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research. "Today's action is a clear sign of FDA's intent to put a stop to any practices which place patients at unneeded risk."

The regulations require that establishments process HCT/Ps in a way that does not cause contamination or cross-contamination and that prevents the introduction, transmission, or spread of communicable disease through the use of the HCT/P. To date, FDA has not received reports of adverse reactions (e.g., transmission of communicable disease to recipients) in any patients who may have received the tissues in question. All tissue products initially recovered from human donors by DRS have been recalled. The agency will continue to investigate DRS' activities, monitor the recalls to account for all distributed tissue and work cooperatively with tissue processors and appropriate federal, state and local authorities. FDA will take further actions as needed.

You can view a copy of the DRS Order of Cessation at: www.fda.gov/cber/compl/drs081806.htm

####

http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2006/NEW01433.html

August 18, 2006

HAND DELIVERED

Philip Guyett
Owner
Donor Referral Services
4724 Hargrove Road
Raleigh, NC 27616

Dear Mr. Guyett:

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA or the agency) conducted an inspection of your establishment, Donor Referral Services (DRS or Establishment), at 4724 Hargrove Road, Raleigh, North Carolina 27616, which manufactures human cells, tissues, and cellular and tissue-based products (HCT/Ps), between June 28 and 30, 2006. At the conclusion of the inspection, the FDA investigators issued you a Form FDA-483, Inspectional Observations. In addition to the inspection, the agency conducted concurrent investigations of funeral homes that had referred potential donors of HCT/Ps to you for recovery, and of HCT/P establishments to whom you had provided HCT/Ps for processing. Our review of the information and records examined and collected during the inspection and investigations reveal that significant violations of Title 21, Code of Federal Regulations (21 CFR), Part 1271, issued under the authority of Section 361 of the Public Health Service Act (PHS Act) [42 U.S.C. 264], exist at DRS.

Indeed, the records of each of the eight donors that the agency reviewed as a result of this inspection reveal serious violations under 21 CFR Part 1271. The agency has determined that because of the serious nature of these violations, there are reasonable grounds to believe that they present a danger to public health. This Order to Cease Manufacturing and to Retain HCT/Ps relates exclusively to conduct occurring on or after May 25, 2005, the effective date of these regulations. We note that FDA retains authority to pursue other actions and remedies.

Therefore, pursuant to 21 CFR 1271.440(a)(1) and (3), both you individually, and your Establishment, 1) must immediately cease all manufacturing until compliance with the regulations in 21 CFR Part 1271 has been achieved, and 2) must retain all HCT/Ps recovered on or after May 25, 2005 that are in your possession until they are disposed of as agreed by the agency or until the safety of the HCT/Ps is confirmed. Pursuant to 21 CFR 1271.3(e), "Manufacture" means, but is not limited to, any or all steps in the recovery, processing, storage, labeling, packaging, or distribution of any HCT/P, and the screening or testing of the HCT/P donor.

Deficiencies noted include, but are not limited to, the following:

You failed to create and maintain accurate records, as required by 21 CFR 1271.55(d)(2) and 21 CFR 1271.270(a), and you failed to review the certificate of death of the donors below, which were available and are relevant medical records, regarding risk factors for, or clinical evidence of, relevant communicable disease agents and diseases, as required by 21 CFR 1271.75(a). More specifically, you recovered HCT/Ps from at least the five donors below in which you failed to review valid death certificates. Moreover, when transferring the records with the tissues to a tissue processor, you provided documents purporting to be the certificates of death for these donors, which are not authentic death certificates issued by the state, and are inaccurate. For instance:

The records created or maintained by you for donor --------- are inaccurate in that you state in your Circumstances of Death form that the donor’s cause of death was myocardial infarction and that the donor died at home; your Tissue Donor Physical Assessment form states that this donor showed no signs of intravenous drug use; your Tissue Recovery Report states that the cause of death was atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and hypertension and that the donor had no history of cancer; your Medical Evaluation form states that the donor was not admitted to a health care facility prior to death; the certificate of death that you provided to a tissue processor states that the donor’s cause of death was atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, with other significant contributing conditions being emphysema, coronary artery disease, tobacco abuse and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

All of these statements in these records are contradicted by the State of ------------- issued certificate of death, which states that the donor died at ----------- Nursing Center of rectal squamous cell cancer, with other significant contributing conditions being intravenous drug use, coronary artery disease, tobacco abuse and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

The records created or maintained by you for donor -------- are inaccurate in that you state in your Tissue Recovery Report that the donor’s cause of death was chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; your Donor Demographics form states that the donor’s date of birth was -------------; your Circumstances of Death form states that the donor died at home from complications due to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; your Medical Evaluation form states that the donor was not admitted to a health care facility prior to death; your Tissue Donor Physical Assessment form states that the donor was 72 years of age; and the certificate of death that you provided to a tissue processor states that the donor was 72 years of age and that the cause of death was respiratory distress due to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

All of these statements in these records are contradicted by the State of -------------- issued certificate of death, which states that the donor died at the age of 82 (with a date of birth of ----------------), at ----------------------------- facility, of aspiration pneumonia due to end-stage Alzheimer's.

The records created or maintained by you for donor --------- are inaccurate in that you state in your Tissue Recovery Report that the donor had no history of cancer and died of a myocardial infarction; your Circumstances of Death form states that the donor expired at home as a result of a myocardial infarction; your Medical Evaluation form states that the donor was not admitted to a health care facility prior to death; and the certificate of death that you provided to a tissue processor states that the donor died of a myocardial infarction due to atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.

All of these statements in these records are contradicted by the State of --------------- issued certificate of death, which states that the donor died of colorectal cancer at ------------------- Hospital.

The records created or maintained by you for donor ----- are inaccurate in that you state in your Donor Demographics form that the donor’s date of birth was ------------------; your Tissue Donor Physical Assessment form states that the donor was 43 years old; and your Tissue Recovery Report states that the donor was 43 years old.

All of these statements in these records are contradicted by the State of --------------------- issued certificate of death, which states that the donor was born on -----------------, and was 49 years old.

The records created or maintained by you for donor --------- are inaccurate in that you state in your Tissue Recovery Report that the donor died at the age of 74; your Tissue Donor Physical Assessment form states that the donor died at the age of 74; your Donor Demographics form states that the donor’s date of birth was------------; your Medical Evaluation form states that the donor was not admitted to a health care facility prior to death; and your Circumstances of Death form states that the donor died at home, and that the funeral home removed the body from home.

All of these statements in these records are contradicted by the State of --------------- issued certificate of death, which states that the donor was born on -------------, was 76 years old, and died at -------------- Hospital.

You failed to create and maintain accurate Tissue Donor Physical Assessment forms and Medical Evaluation forms, both records, as required by 21 CFR 1271.55(d)(2) and 21 CFR 1271.270(a). On the Tissue Donor Physical Assessment forms for donors ---------------------------------------, and ----- you represented to a tissue processor that: "[a] review of available medical records & physical assessment findings were completed & found to be acceptable prior to recovery." Furthermore, on the Medical Evaluation forms for each of these donors you represented to the tissue processor that: "The above information was obtained from one of the following sources: Hospital/facility personnel and/or medical social history. I have reviewed the above information and verify that it is complete to the best of my knowledge." However, contrary to your attestations, and as discussed elsewhere in this letter, these forms have provided the tissue processor with an inaccurate and incomplete summary of the records of these donors, of their medical history and of their eligibility for donation.

You failed to review the relevant medical records for several donors, regarding risk factors for, or clinical evidence of, relevant communicable disease agents and diseases, as required by 21 CFR 1271.75(a). You also failed to establish, maintain and implement Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) regarding testing, screening, and determining donor eligibility for donors who are admitted to health care facilities prior to death, as required by 21 CFR 1271.47(a). More specifically, your Medical Evaluation form describes the following procedure to be followed if a donor was admitted to a health care facility prior to death: "attach the H&P [history and physical], discharge summary, and physician’s progress notes for the last five days…” You did not implement this procedure for the following donors, and instead recorded that they had not been admitted to a health care facility prior to death. As a result, you did not review relevant medical records regarding risk factors for, or clinical evidence of, relevant communicable disease agents and diseases for these donors. Contrary to your Medical Evaluation forms:

the State of -----------------------issued certificate of death for donor -------- states that at the time of death this donor was a patient at ------------------ Hospital;

the State of --------------issued certificate of death for donor ------------ states that at the time of death this donor was a patient at --------------- Healthcare;

the State of --------------issued certificate of death for donor ------------ states that at the time of death this donor was a patient at ---------- Nursing Center; and

the State of --------------issued certificate of death for donor ------------- states that at the time of death this donor was a patient at -------------- Hospital.

You failed to establish and maintain procedures (SOPs) for all steps that you perform in testing, screening, and determining donor eligibility, as required by 21 CFR 1271.47(a). More specifically, in your affidavit of June 30, 2006, you state that "Donor suitability on donor[s] recovered by Donor Referral Services was made by the receiving institution. Donor Referral Services was not the responsible party in determining the final suitability and release of tissue." Furthermore, you admit that whatever limited donor eligibility evaluation DRS did perform was based on U.S. Tissue and Cell criteria, and this was only a "guide" in performing the recovery of tissue. Finally, you failed to document and maintain records regarding whatever such procedures might have existed at your Establishment, as required by 21 CFR 1271.47(a) and (c) and 21 CFR 1271.270(a). When an FDA investigator requested that you provide records of all such procedures, you were unable to do so.

You failed to establish and maintain procedures (SOPs) appropriate to meet core CGTP requirements for all steps that you perform in the manufacture of HCT/Ps, as required by 21 CFR 1271.180(a) and (c), and you failed to document and maintain records regarding whatever such procedures might have existed, as required by 21 CFR 1271.47(a) and (c) and 21 CFR 1271.270(a). More specifically, in your affidavit of June 30, 2006, you state that "I have utilized ---------------------------------------------- operation procedures to complete the recovery of tissue from donors." However, when an FDA Investigator requested that you provide records of all such procedures, you were unable to do so.

You failed to retain all records for 10 years after their creation, as required by 21 CFR 1271.270(d), and you failed to retain all records pertaining to a particular HCT/P at least 10 years after the date of its administration, distribution, disposition, or expiration, whichever is latest, as required by 21 CFR 1271.55(d)(4) and 21 CFR 1271.270(d). More specifically, you admit in your affidavit of June 30, 2006 that you "…provided… [a tissue processor with] all eight donor tissue records of tissue that I recovered between March 2005 and March 2006. I did not keep copies of any of the original record tissue records (sic) sent to… [a tissue processor]."

As a result, you have not retained records regarding donors -------------------------------------and -----, including the Personal Data form, the Donor Medical History and Behavioral Risk Assessment form, the Donor Demographics form, the Circumstances of Death form, the Infusion Summary form, the Medical Evaluation form, the Tissue Donor Physical Assessment form, the Tissue Recovery Report, the Certificate of Death, as well as all other records that you may have created for these donors.

The above-identified deficiencies are not intended to be an all-inclusive list of violations by you and your Establishment. Nevertheless, they indicate serious noncompliance with many of the regulations under 21 CFR Part 1271, which are designed to protect against the risks of communicable disease transmission. Of particular concern are the serious deficiencies involving:

1/ your failure to create and maintain accurate records;
2/ your failure to establish and maintain SOPs for all steps that you perform in manufacturing of HCT/Ps; and
3/ your failure to review relevant medical records regarding risk factors for, or clinical evidence of, relevant communicable disease agents and diseases.
Based on the foregoing, the agency finds that there are reasonable grounds to believe that HCT/Ps manufactured by you are violative because they were manufactured in contravention of the regulations under 21 CFR Part 1271 and, therefore, the conditions of manufacture of the HCT/Ps do not provide adequate protections against the risks of communicable disease transmission. Moreover, these deficiencies, including your failure to retain and maintain accurate records, are so serious and widespread that FDA finds there are reasonable grounds to believe that they present a danger to public health.

This letter confirms the telephone conversation on August 18, 2006, in which notice was given that, pursuant to 21 CFR 1271.440(a)(1) and (3), you individually, and your Establishment, 1) must immediately cease all manufacturing, as defined in 21 CFR 1271.3(e), until compliance with the regulations in 21 CFR Part 1271 has been achieved, and 2) must retain all HCT/Ps recovered on or after May 25, 2005 that are in your possession until they are disposed of as agreed by the agency, or until the safety of the HCT/Ps is confirmed. Instructions were given at that time not to recover or ship HCT/Ps. Neither you, nor your Establishment, can resume operations without prior written authorization from FDA [21 CFR 1271.440(d)]. Any shipment of HCT/Ps in violation of this order constitutes a violation of section 368 of the PHS Act [42 U.S.C. § 1271], for which criminal penalties may be imposed.

Within five (5) working days from the receipt of this Order to Cease Manufacturing, you may request a hearing on the matter in accordance with 21 CFR Part 16 (copy attached), to Mary A. Malarkey, Director, Office of Compliance and Biologics Quality, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, 1401 Rockville Pike, HFM-600, Rockville, MD 20852 (telephone: 301-827-6190).

Failure to request a hearing within the specified time period constitutes a waiver of the right to a hearing. You may also wish to inform yourself with respect to the agency's guidelines regarding electronic media coverage of its administrative proceedings, which can be found at 21 CFR Part 10, Subpart C.

Sincerely,

----- signature -----

Jesse L. Goodman, M.D., M.P.H.
Director
Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research

Effective Date: August 18, 2006 Time: 9:48 AM Eastern

cc:

Attachments (2)
21 CFR Part 1271
21 CFR Part 16

http://www.fda.gov/cber/compl/drs081806.htm

a bit of history;

The Eyes have it/CJD * and they could be stealing them from YOUR loved
one, hence the spread of CJD (aka MADCOW DISEASE) will spread...

############ Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease
#############

Greetings list members, I was impressed that someone is listening,
considering the timing of when I broke the story in Nov. and this was
posted in Dec., what a coincidence. Thanks for listening. I find it
rather frightening of the fact sporadic CJD as well as vCJD can

transmit infectivity this way. Makes me wonder about blood?
Kind Regards, Terry S. Singeltary Sr., Bacliff, Texas USA

Vol. 282 No. 23, December 15, 1999
Preventing Prion Transmission in Corneal Transplants

http://www.vegsource.com/talk/madcow/messages/7242.html

Cadaver corneal transplants -- without family permission

Houston, Texas channel 11 news 28 Nov 99
Reported by Terry S. Singeltary Sr. son of CJD victim

http://mad-cow.org/~tom/dec99_news.html#bbb

VOL. 282 No. 23, December 15, 1999

Preventing Prion Transmission in Corneal Transplants

To the Editor: We agree with the Council on Scientific Affairs' recommendation that "physicians become knowledgeable about BSE [bovine spongiform encephalopathy] so they can appropriately advise their patients about routes and rates of BSE transmission."1 Unfortunately, there is only passing mention of prion transmission by corneal transplantation, which is performed on 40,000 to 50,000 patients each year in the United States.2 In addition to the 1974 US case,3 2 additional cases of probable and possible transmission, respectively, have been reported in Germany and Japan,3 but the major new concern relative to prion transmission via corneas occurred recently in Great Britain. In February 1997, the corneal transplant and sclera from a 53-year-old woman who had died of presumed metastatic lung cancer were transplanted to 3 recipients.4 In November 1997, the donor's brain revealed sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD), confirmed by the United Kingdom CJD Surveillance Unit.4 . . . [Full Text of this Article]

http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/extract/282/23/2211?maxtoshow=&HITS=10&hits=10&RESULTFORMAT=&fulltext=CJD+EYE&searchid=1130425573446_2695&stored_search=&FIRSTINDEX=0&journalcode=jama

http://www.vegsource.com/talk/madcow/messages/7643.html

http://www.vegsource.com/talk/madcow/messages/7708.html

http://www.vegsource.com/talk/madcow/messages/1000334.html

Testimony of Bess Believeaux, Lions Eye Bank of Central Texas
(Submission to the Jan. 18/19 meeting of the TSE Advisory Committee)

http://www.fda.gov/ohrms/dockets/ac/01/slides/3681s2_16.pdf

TSS Submission to the same Committee;

Monday, January 08, 200l 3:03 PM

snip...

Last, but not least. The illegal/legal harvesting of body parts and tissues will come back to haunt you. Maybe not morally, but due to NO background checks and human TSEs, again it will continue to spread.

http://www.fda.gov/ohrms/dockets/ac/01/slides/3681s2_09.pdf

Tissue Banks International (TBI), Gerald J Cole

http://www.fda.gov/ohrms/dockets/ac/01/slides/3681s2_13.pdf

TSS

• Last, but not least. The illegal/legal harvesting of body parts and tissues will come back to haunt you. Maybe not morally, but due to NO background checks and human TSEs, again it will continue to spread.

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