(July 20, 2011) Just a few weeks ago, there was a recall on the over-the-counter pain relief mogul Tylenol. We have seen several Johnson & Johnson products recalled over the past few years, with Tylenol Extra Strength Caplets coming as the most recent.
Nearly 70,000 bottles manufactured in February 2009 were pulled because of a reported musty, moldy odor inside the bottle. Upon further investigation, traces of the chemical 2,4,6-tribromoanisole (TBA) were found in the bottle. TBA causes temporary and non-serious gastrointestinal symptoms, but it still should not be found inside the bottles of Tylenol. What a headache!
Some experts believe that recalls such as this are very rare and should not prevent people from boycotting the product. Other experts advise more caution. When asked about his opinion, Curt Furberg, a board member of the FDA’s Committee on Drug Safety and Risk Management and professor of public health sciences at Wake Forest baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, N.C., said, “ I think Johnson & Johnson has had [recalls] happen over and over and over again. They don’t have their act together… I would try to go with other drugs, other pain relievers.”
Duke University Medical Center pain expert Winston Parris, professor of anesthesiology and division chief for pain management stresses that people should not be worried by the recall. “The fact that we are getting these recalls, it’s a good sign. It means the system is working. The (drug manufacturing) system is usually automated and excellent, but since it’s human, there are imperfections.”
Furberg, still playing the cautious side, urges people to pay attention to what they take. “[Look for] a discoloration. Or a smell if you open a pill bottle. Check that size is not different. There isn’t much more you can do than that.”
What do you think about this recall? Are you concerned or worried? Will this prevent you from buying more Tylenol? Comment on this post or tweet us, we want your opinions! Will you look for alternatives? Contact us today – 1-800-246-4878.
