FDA issues safety warning for battery-powered mobile medical carts

Editor's Note

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on December 27 issued a warning to healthcare facilities of potential safety risks associated with battery-powered mobile medical carts.

The FDA has received reports of explosions, fires, smoking, and overheating of the lithium and lead acid batteries in these carts that required hospital evacuations.

Battery-powered carts are used for medication dispensing and as accessories to devices such as colonoscopes, ultrasound machines, and anesthesia machines. 

December 27, 2016 Dear Health Care Professionals, Health Care Facility Administrators The FDA is warning health care facilities of potential safety risks associated with battery-powered mobile medical carts. The FDA is aware of reports of explosion, fires, smoking, or overheating of equipment that required hospital evacuations associated with the batteries in these carts.