Health: Important OTC RECALL Bufferin, Excedrin, Gas-X and NoDoz

I know you all have busy days with work, children, and family obligations. So I wanted to share this timely Recall information with you.

Bufferin, Excedrin, NoDoz, Gas-X Recalled

Pill Mixup: Bottles May Contain Stray Pills or Prescription Painkillers

ByDaniel J. DeNoon
And Jennifer Warner
WebMD Health News

Reviewed byLaura J. Martin, MD

 

Jan. 9, 2012 -- Bufferin, Excedrin, Gas-X, and NoDoz products have been recalled because they may be mixed with one another, contain broken tablets, or contain prescription painkillers.
Drugmaker Novartis is voluntarily recalling 1,645 lots of the four products. All four of the recalled products -- as well as nine prescription opiate painkillers including Percocet and morphine -- were made at the same plant in Lincoln, Neb.
At a news teleconference, Edward Cox, MD, director of the FDA's office of antiviral products, said there was a slight but real risk that prescription drugs could end up in the over-the-counter products.
"There is a potential risk that it could happen," Cox said. "That is the reason for the consumer-level recall, because there is the potential for a product mix-up there."
Packages of each of the brands may contain tablets, caplets, or capsules of other products. Some of the pills may be broken or chipped.
All Bufferin products with expiration dates of Dec. 20, 2013, or earlier have been recalled. Brand names include Bufferin Extra Strength Tablets, Bufferin Low Dose Tablets, and Bufferin Regular Strength Tablets.
All Gas-X Prevention products with expiration dates of Dec. 20, 2013, or earlier have been recalled.
The following Excedrin products with expiration dates of Dec. 20, 2014, have been recalled:

• Excedrin Extra Strength Caplets
• Excedrin Extra Strength Express Gel Caplets
• Excedrin Extra Strength Gel Caplets
• Excedrin Extra Strength Tablets
• Excedrin Back & Body Caplets
• Excedrin Sinus Headache Caplets
• Excedrin Migraine Caplets
• Excedrin Migraine Gel Tablets
• Excedrin Migraine Tablets
• Excedrin Menstrual Complete Express Gel Caplets
• Excedrin PM Caplets
• Excedrin PM Express Gel Caplets
• Excedrin PM Tablets
• Excedrin Tension Headache Caplets
• Excedrin Tension Headache Express Gel Caplets
• Excedrin Tension Headache Gel Tablets

The recalled products were distributed throughout the United States, but not internationally.
Novartis has suspended operations at its Lincoln plant "to accelerate maintenance and other improvement activities at the site."
There have been no reports of illness or injury from the products. The company says it confirmed the problem during an internal product review following customer complaints.
"Mixing of different products in the same bottle could result in consumers taking the incorrect product and receiving a higher or lower strength than intended or receiving an unintended ingredient," Novartis warns. "This could potentially result in overdose, interaction with other medications a consumer may be taking, or an allergic reaction if the consumer is allergic to the unintended ingredient."
Consumers who have the recalled products should stop using them and contact Novartis (888-477-2403 or novartisOTC.com) for information on returning them for a refund.
People who may have had adverse events related to the products should report them to the FDA's MedWatch program (www.fda.gov/medwatch/report.htm).

Credit:

SOURCES:
FDA web site.
FDA teleconference, Jan. 9, 2011.
Novartis web site.
Julie Masow, director, external communications & media relations, Novartis Corp.

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