Adult bed rails recalled in Canada and U.S. after 2 deaths

Adult bed rails have been recalled in Canada and U.S. following the deaths of two elderly women.

Manufacturer Medline received two reports of deaths associated with the bed assist bars, Medline Industries said in a press release this week.

A 76-year-old woman at a senior nursing facility in Iowa died in July 2019, and an 87-year-old woman at a residential care facility in South Carolina in November 2023.

As of May 27, there have been no deaths or injuries associated with the bed rails in Canada but a consumer product recall for the bed rails was issued in early May and recently updated on the Health Canada website.

When attached to an adult’s bed, the bed rail users can become trapped in the bed rail or between the bed rail and the side of the mattress, Medline said in the release.

This can cause a serious hazard and risk of death by asphyxiation.

Videos

Medline sold about 1.5 million of the recalled bed rails from July 2009 through March 2024 for between $32 and $64. Medline also sold about 5,522 units in Canada.

The recalled bedrails were sold through Medline’s websites, Medline.com and athome.medline.com, major online retailers including Amazon and Walmart.com, online pharmacies including CVS.com and Walgreens.com, and online medical supply stores nationwide including Cascade Healthcare Solutions and Magic Medical.

The bed rails were manufactured in China.

Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled bed rails and contact Medline to receive a full refund.

The recalled bed rails have model numbers MDS6800BA and MDS6800BAH.

Customers can contact Medline Canada Customer Service by telephone at 1-800-268-2848 or by email at [email protected] to get a refund.

See the recall notice on Health Canada’s website here, for more information. The U.S. Medline notice is here.