Novartis Issues Recall

Novartis has announced that it is recalling some of its drugs after the FDA discovered a manufacturing problem that could lead to drug mix-ups. In a Novartis facility in Lincoln, Nebraska, the FDA found that drugs could possibly be mislabeled or could end up mixed with other drugs in prescription bottles. According to the Wall Street Journal, Novartis is recalling certain lots of Excedrin, NoDoz, Bufferin and Gas-X because they could possibly contain broken pills or other medicines entirely. The plant also produces drugs for Endo Pharmaceuticals, including drugs Percocet, Endocet, Opana, and Zydone. As a result, there could be possible mix-ups between powerful prescription painkillers and over-the-counter medicines.

Novartis announced that it would recall lots of the pain relief medicine Excedrin and caffeine caplets NoDoz with expiration dates of Dec. 20, 2014. In addition, they are recalling painkiller Bufferin and stomach medicine Gas-X with expiration dates of Dec. 20, 2013 or earlier. Though the manufacturer and the FDA say that they have not yet received any reports of adverse effects as a result of the plant problems, there is undoubtedly a risk of serious consequences. According to the Washington Post, Novartis has a history of manufacturing plant problems and subsequent pill mix-ups. Allegedly, the company was cited by the FDA over the summer for improper investigation of customer complaints. They are reported to have failed to properly investigate 166 complaints since 2009 of pill mix-ups, in addition to inadequate investigation of other complaints as well.

This mix-up could have disastrous consequences for some patients. First, some patients that badly need their prescription could possibly end up with different drugs that do not fulfill their needs. Second, those allergic to the drugs included in the mix-up could accidentally take one of these pills and have an adverse reaction. Third, the mix-up could lead to an unanticipated interaction between normal medicine and the mixed-up prescription, as the cocktails would not have been approved by a doctor. These and other scenarios could lead to tragic circumstances for a patient, possibly leading to debilitating injury, illness, or even death.