Medline Industries is pulling every Medline-brand bed off the market, telling nursing homes, home care suppliers and families to unplug the beds immediately because of fire and entrapment risks. The recall covers homecare, bariatric and long-term care beds, along with their hand controls, accessories and replacement parts.
The Northfield, Illinois, company announced the move in an urgent field safety notice dated Oct. 14. It is not a repair program. Medline is discontinuing the beds and exiting the bed market altogether. Two national long-term care associations, the American Health Care Association and LeadingAge, alerted their members to the notice on Monday.
Medline said it has received reports of adverse events tied to both hazards. Its notice warns that the problems could lead to “serious injury or death.”
Which Medline beds are being recalled?
All of them. The notice applies to every Medline-brand bed, including homecare, bariatric and long-term care models, plus associated pendants (the handheld controls), accessories, replacement parts and order packages that include a bed. Medline attached a full list of affected item numbers to the notice.
The October action widens an earlier recall. In late 2025, Medline told customers to change how they used its Medline Basic and Medlite homecare beds. The FDA classified that correction as the most serious type of recall. According to the FDA’s notice on the earlier action, hand controls on the Basic beds had burned, overheated, melted, sparked and caught fire, and as of Dec. 18 Medline had reported 12 injuries and one death linked to that problem. The company reported two more injuries and one death tied to non-Medline accessories that trapped users when the bed moved unexpectedly.
That earlier action only updated instructions. The new notice takes every Medline bed out of service for its electrical functions.
What is wrong with Medline beds?
Medline named two hazards. The first is electrical. Under certain conditions, including heavy loads, jammed motors, damaged pendants, fluid getting into the pendant, extension cords or non-Medline parts, the bed’s electrical components may overheat. That can lead to smoking, sparking, melting or fire, with risks of shock, burns and death, the company said.
The second is entrapment. Medline said using any accessory with its beds, including side rails, may lead to entrapment or asphyxiation. So can lying on a pendant while it is connected, or using the bed with loose or wobbly rails.
Bed rail entrapment has been a long-running danger for frail older adults, as we reported in our earlier coverage of a major bed rail recall.
What should I do if I have a Medline bed?
Medline’s instructions for anyone using one of its beds:
- Unplug the bed right away, and disconnect any battery packs or batteries on the bed or its accessories.
- Stop using the electric functions. The bed and mattress can still be used in manual mode until the bed is replaced.
- Plug the bed back in only for emergencies, such as choking or CPR. If you do, do not use an extension cord, and keep the pendant and power cord routed and secured.
- Stop using all accessories, including side rails.
Check the headboard, footboard, frame or hand control for the Medline name. Beds supplied by a hospice, home health agency or rental company often do not list the brand on the paperwork, so ask the company that delivered it.
Will Medline replace or refund recalled beds?
Medline is directing customers to the provider or distributor that supplied the bed for removal and replacement. People who received a Medline bed within the last five years should ask that supplier whether they qualify for a reimbursement or credit.
Medline will also send safety labels for the beds. Anyone who has not received one through their supplier by Nov. 30 should call Medline Recall Customer Service at 800-950-0128, option 7. That number is also for people who bought a bed directly from Medline.
Injuries and other problems can be reported to Medline at QualityAssurance@medline.com or 800-950-0128, option 5, and to the FDA through its MedWatch reporting program.
Why does this recall matter for nursing homes and home care?
Electric beds are standard equipment in nursing homes and a growing fixture in private homes, where more older adults now recover and age with hospital-style equipment, a shift we covered in our report on the move to home medical equipment. The FDA noted in its earlier notice that people with less monitoring, such as those at home, face higher risk, because it can take longer for someone to notice and respond to an entrapment.
For facilities, the notice means finding replacement beds quickly while keeping residents safe in beds that can no longer be adjusted electrically. Families caring for someone at home face the same problem on a smaller scale. A home care supplier should be the first call, and families comparing models from other manufacturers can review full-electric hospital beds for home use before choosing a replacement.
Key takeaways
- Medline is recalling and discontinuing all Medline-brand beds, citing fire and entrapment risks.
- Users should unplug the beds, use manual mode only and stop using side rails and other accessories.
- Suppliers handle replacement; beds received in the past five years may qualify for reimbursement or credit.
- An earlier FDA Class I action on two Medline homecare bed lines cited 14 injuries and two deaths.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a recall on Medline beds?
Yes. In an Oct. 14, 2026 field safety notice, Medline began removing and discontinuing all Medline-brand homecare, bariatric and long-term care beds, plus their hand controls, accessories and replacement parts, because of fire and entrapment risks.
Can I still use my Medline bed?
Medline says the bed and mattress can be used in manual mode until it is replaced. Keep it unplugged, use electric functions only in emergencies such as choking or CPR, and do not use side rails or other accessories.
How do I get a replacement for a recalled Medline bed?
Contact the supplier, home health agency or facility that provided the bed. If you bought it directly from Medline, or have not received a safety label by Nov. 30, call Medline Recall Customer Service at 800-950-0128, option 7.
Have Medline beds caused injuries?
Yes. In an earlier action on Medline Basic and Medlite homecare beds, the FDA reported 12 injuries and one death linked to overheating hand controls, and two injuries and one death linked to non-Medline accessories, as of Dec. 18, 2025.
