Tylenol Recall 2010 Expanded To Include Other Meds

By Amanda Pendolino on January 15th, 2010

tylenol-1 Tylenol recalled its arthritis pain caplets back in December due to a chemical that cause nausea and other stomach problems. According to Good Morning America, McNeil Healthcare has broadened the recall to include other products, including kid’s tylenol, Rolaids and extra strength Tylenol.

McNeil released a statement claiming the chemical does not cause fatal problems: “The health effects of this chemical have not been well studied, but no serious events have been documented in the medical literature,” the company said. “In addition to the product recall, McNeil Consumer Healthcare is continuing its investigation into the issue and is taking further actions that include ceasing shipment of products produced using materials shipped on these wood pallets and requiring suppliers who ship materials to our plants to discontinue the use of these pallets.”

54 million bottles of McNeil products are now recalled, making the total number recalled 60 million. Among the recalled products: Tylenol Extra Strength, Rolaids, St. Joseph asprin, Motrin IB, Benadryl, Tylenol geltabs, Tylenol rapid release and extended relief.

If you bought one of the affected medications, stop using the product and contact McNeil for a refund or replacement. But according to the FDA, that’s not enough. ”McNeil should have acted faster,” said Deborah Autor, director of the FDA’s Office of Compliance. “When something smells bad, literally or figuratively, companies must aggressively investigate” and take necessary action to solve the problem.