FDA Announces Recall of MiniMed Insulin Pumps

As someone living with Type 1 diabetes, I write this to help others in our community understand what’s changing—and what it means for daily life.

People living with diabetes using certain MiniMed insulin pumps are being urged to take a simple precaution following a recent safety notice from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The notice applies to several models, including the 780G, 770G, 640G, and 700G systems. (You can view the official FDA recall details here and here.) Rather than removing the devices from use, they classified the issue as a Class II recall, meaning it could cause temporary health problems if not handled correctly.

At the center of the concern is how the pumps respond to changes in position. When placed too high above the infusion site, gravity can affect internal pressure, which may lead to inaccurate insulin delivery. This means users might unknowingly receive either more or less insulin than intended.

Even small dosing errors can have serious consequences. Too much insulin can trigger hypoglycemia, while too little may result in hyperglycemia. Both conditions require attention to avoid complications.

The manufacturer has already contacted users with guidance on how to reduce risk. The key recommendation is to keep the pump within 14 inches (35.5 cm) of the infusion site during use. According to Medtronic, no injuries or complaints related to this issue have been reported so far, and there is no need to replace the devices.

Updated user guides are available online at: https://www.medtronicdiabetes.com/download-library. Affected users can also check specific guidance and version details at: https://info.medtronicdiabetes.com/pump-placement.

For now, health officials emphasize awareness and proper use rather than alarm, noting that following the updated guidance should help users continue using their devices safely.