Two of the nation's largest pharmaceutical companies received warning letters from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) after inspectors discovered several irregularities at two manufacturing plants. The FDA issued Abbott Laboratories the advisory after finding quality control problems at its Salt Lake City facility, which produces catheters and surgical kits. Abbott reportedly never instituted procedural changes designed to reduce catheter balloon failures.

In a letter to Pfizer Incorporated, the FDA warned that conditions at the pharmaceutical company's Terre Haute, Indiana plant were substandard. According to the FDA letter, poor conditions at the injectable antibiotics manufacturing facility could contribute to drug contamination.

Both companies have two weeks to respond to the agency's accusations.