Tylenol contaminated and recalled
The Food and Drug Administration filed a report stating that certain ingredients used in the manufacturer of some 40 varieties of children’s cold medicines were contaminated with bacteria. The report did state that none of the finished products tested positive for the contaminants.
The recalled products included Tylenol, Motrin, Zyrtec, and Benadryl infant’s and children’s products and involved products sold in the US and 11 other countries.
The FDA inspectors found some of the equipment in the Fort Washington, Penn. plant to be dust covered and in disrepair. Some of the machinery was held together with duct tape. The inspectors visited the McNeil Consumer Healthcare plant in mid-April and Johnson and Johnson issued a voluntary recall that night.
FDA inspectors listed more than 20 manufacturing problems. The report also stated that the plant did not have a laboratory to test the ingredients. It further stated that the company had failed to follow up on customer complaints which consisted of nearly 50 complaints about “black or dark specks” in the Tylenol products.
Johnson & Johnson and McNeil Consumer Healthcare said that they would not resume production of the products at the plant until the problems have been fixed. The manufacturer also admitted that some of the recalled products may have higher concentrations of the active ingredients than listed on the containers.
The FDA pointed out that any serious medical problems with the products were unlikely, but recommended customers use generic products instead until the all clear is received.