Lower risk Medical device recall · FDA · Published March 22, 2018

Becton Dickinson Vacutainer Lithium Heparin Tubes May Cause Lead Underestimation in Blood

Becton Dickinson recalls specific Vacutainer Lithium Heparin Green Top Tubes that may cause inaccurate lead levels in blood tests using certain lead testing methods. Affected tubes have catalog numbers starting with 366664 or 367884.

Plain-English summary generated from official FDA data by GovInfoNow · Published by Carlos Caban · How we make summaries

🇺🇸 FDA recall #Z-1142-2018Medical device Becton Dickinson ›

Lower-risk recall

BD Vacutainer EDTA Lavender, Tan, and Pink Top Tubes and BD Vacutainer Lithium Heparin Green Top Tubes can cause an underestimation of lead in blood samples when used with Magellan Diagnostics LeadCare assays, employing the Anodic Stripping Voltammetry (ASV) methodology, or any other assay employing ASV methodology.

Take action

Contact the company

Recalling firmBecton Dickinson & Company1 Becton Dr · Franklin Lakes, NJ 07417-1815

✎ GovInfoNow plain-language explainer

Becton Dickinson is recalling specific Vacutainer Lithium Heparin Green Top Tubes that can cause blood lead tests to show lower than actual lead levels when used with certain lead testing methods. This could lead to incorrect health assessments for people who have been tested using these tubes. Read more at govinfonow.com/recall/71654-becton-dickinson-vacutainer-lithium-heparin-tubes-may-cause-lead-underestimation.

Source Summary by GovInfoNow · govinfonow.com/recall/71654-becton-dickinson-vacutainer-lithium-heparin-tubes-may-cause-lead-underestimation · Updated August 27, 2026 · FDA enforcement record: FDA #Z-1142-2018

Cite this page

“Becton Dickinson Vacutainer Lithium Heparin Tubes May Cause Lead Underestimation in Blood.” GovInfoNow, updated August 27, 2026. https://govinfonow.com/recall/71654-becton-dickinson-vacutainer-lithium-heparin-tubes-may-cause-lead-underestimation. Based on FDA recall #Z-1142-2018 (https://api.fda.gov/device/enforcement.json?search=recall_number:%22Z-1142-2018%22&limit=1).

Becton Dickinson & Company voluntarily recalled BD Vacutainer Lithium Heparin Green Top Tubes on March 22, 2018, according to the FDA. The tubes can cause an underestimation of lead in blood samples when used with specific Magellan Diagnostics assays.

How to tell if you have it

Brand: Becton Dickinson
Product: BD Vacutainer Lithium Heparin Green Top Tubes
Catalog Numbers: 366664, 367884, 367886, 368040, 366667, 367880
Lots: All lots

The hazard

The BD Vacutainer Lithium Heparin Green Top Tubes can cause an underestimation of lead in blood samples when used with Magellan Diagnostics LeadCare assays employing the Anodic Stripping Voltammetry (ASV) methodology, or any other assay employing ASV methodology.

Context

GovInfoNow's records show Becton Dickinson & Company has 52 other recalls on record since May 31, 2017. Other recent recalls of similar products include Magellan LeadCare Ultra Blood Lead Test Kit (March 13, 2026), Magellan LeadCare II Blood Lead Test Kits (March 13, 2026) and Magellan LeadCare Plus Blood Lead Test Kit (March 13, 2026).

How to tell if you have this one

Check for catalog numbers starting with 366664, 367884, 367886, 368040, or 366667 on the tube packaging. The tubes are labeled as 'Lithium Heparin Green Top Tubes' and have unique identifiers (UDIs) listed in the recall notice.

Brand
Becton Dickinson
Category
Medical device

FDA recall event · 4 products

All 4 products in this recall

FDA lists each product line separately under one recall event. Check your product description, lot or code numbers against each row. Every row shares the hazard and remedy on this page.

Classification
Class I
Status
Terminated
Distribution
Distributed in 46 states: AL, AR, AZ, CA, CO, CT, FL, GA, HI, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MT, NC, ND, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NV, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, VT, WA, WI, WV, and Puerto Rico.

Recall number	Product, codes & lots	Quantity
Z-1139-2018	BD Vacutainer¿ EDTA Lavender Top Tubes: Catalog Numbers: 1. 366401 (UDI: 50382903664011); 2. 366450 (UDI: 50382903664509); 3. 366643 (UDI: 50382903666435); 4. 367835 (UDI: 50382903678353); 5. 367841 (UDI: 50382903678414); 6. 367844 (UDI: 50382903678445); 7. 367856 (UDI: 50382903678568); 8. 367861 (UDI: 50382903678612); 9. 367862 (UDI: 50382903678629); 10. 367863 (UDI: 50382903678636); 11. 368021 (UDI: 50382903680219); 12. 368047 (UDI: 50382903680479); 13. 368054 (UDI: 50382903680547); 14. 368661 (UDI: 50382903686617); 15. 364300 (UDI: pre-UDI); All lots. Catalog Number (Shelf Life): 1. 366401 (24 months); 2. 366450 (24 months); 3. 366643 (12 months); 4. 367835 (16 months); 5. 367841 (15 months); 6. 367844 (16 months); 7. 367856 (16 months); 8. 367861 (16 months); 9. 367862 (16 months); 10. 367863 (17 months); 11. 368021 (16 months); 12. 368047 (15 months); 13. 368054 (16 months); 14. 368661 (17 months); 15. 364300 (Requested)	1,116,012,050
Z-1140-2018	BD Vacutainer¿ EDTA Tan Top Tube; Catalog Number: 367855 (UDI: 50382903678551); All lots	3,956,900
Z-1141-2018	BD Vacutainer¿ EDTA Pink Top Tube; Catalog Numbers: 1. 367842 (UDI: 50382903678421); 2. 367899 (UDI: 50382903678995); 3. 368049 (UDI: 50382903680493); 4. 368589 (UDI: 50382903685894); All lots. Catalog Number (Shelf Life): 1. 367842 (Requested); 2. 367899 (Requested); 3. 368049 (Requested); 4. 368589 (Requested)	64,784,900
Z-1142-2018	BD Vacutainer¿ Lithium Heparin Green Top Tube; Catalog Numbers: 1. 366664 (UDI: 50382903666640); 2. 367884 (UDI: 50382903678841); 3. 367886 (UDI: 50382903678865); 4. 368040 (UDI: 50382903680400); 5. 366667 (UDI: 50382903666671); 6. 367880 (UDI: 50382903678803); All lots. Catalog Number (Shelf Life): 1. 366664 (Requested); 2. 367884 (Requested); 3. 367886 (Requested); 4. 368040 (Requested); 5. 366667 (Requested); 6. 367880 (Requested)	117,816,603

Based on the official FDA remedy

What to do — step by step

Check Tube Catalog Number
Look for catalog numbers starting with 366664, 367884, 367886, 368040, or 366667 on the tube packaging.

Where it went and when

Where it was distributed

Distributed in 46 states and Puerto Rico.

FDA distribution: “Distributed in 46 states: AL, AR, AZ, CA, CO, CT, FL, GA, HI, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MT, NC, ND, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NV, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, VT, WA, WI, WV, and Puerto Rico.” States read from FDA’s own wording; “not listed” means the notice does not name it.

States: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin.

Recall timeline

FDA terminated this recall 4.3 years after the firm started it.

Mar 22, 2018Firm started the recall
Mar 22, 2018FDA classified it Class I
Mar 28, 2018Published in FDA’s Enforcement Report
Jul 25, 2022FDA terminated the recall

Dates from the agency record only; steps without a date are left out.

✎ GovInfoNow

Questions people ask

From the GovInfoNow team · based on the FDA notice · How we make summaries

Do I need to stop using these tubes immediately?

No, the recall does not require immediate stop use. The tubes can be used with caution if you are aware of the potential for inaccurate results.

Similar recalls

Latest medical device recalls

Keep exploring

More Becton Dickinson recalls

Link to this recall

<a href="https://govinfonow.com/recall/71654-becton-dickinson-vacutainer-lithium-heparin-tubes-may-cause-lead-underestimation">Becton Dickinson Vacutainer Lithium Heparin Tubes May Cause Lead Underestimation in Blood (GovInfoNow)</a>

Where this comes from

The facts (hazard, remedy, dates, manufacturer) are pulled from the official FDA recall record. The plain-language summary and step-by-step checklist are written by GovInfoNow to make the official notice easier to act on — they don’t replace it.

Official source: FDA Recall #Z-1142-2018 (March 22, 2018) — FDA publishes no per-recall page; this is the official machine-readable enforcement record. Search FDA recalls for Z-1142-2018 to see it in context.
Plain-language summary written by qwen3:4b on August 27, 2026, from the official record above. Not reviewed by a person — if it conflicts with the FDA notice, the notice is correct. Report an error on this page.
GovInfoNow is an independent service and is not a government agency. We republish official FDA recall data; we don’t issue, amend or administer recalls.