Tylenol Recall: Bacterial Contamination!

If you haven’t heard about the recall of many products manufactured by McNeil Consumer Heathcare (a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson), you need to get caught up on the latest breaking news regarding the company’s complete disregard for well being of its consumers. The worst part of the matter is that the compromised products are the brands created for infants and children! The LA Times reported yesterday on the most recent findings after an inspection was performed by the Food and Drug Administration:

The report, which also found more than a dozen other violations at the facility used to make the products, detailed a series of sloppy manufacturing processes including failure to maintain equipment, properly train employees and correctly weigh ingredients.

The report also indicates that the drug maker, Johnson & Johnson’s McNeil Consumer Healthcare subsidiary, failed to investigate “46 consumer complaints regarding foreign materials, dark or black specks,” some dating to June 2009.

McNeil announced a recall of more than 50 variations of infant’s and children’s Tylenol, Motrin, Zyrtec and Benadryl on Friday. [read more]

The advice so far has been to discard the products with Lot Numbers that are included in the recall (which you can find by clicking here) and purchase generic forms of the products you regularly use. I, for one, look at Johnson & Johnson in a completely different light after learning of how neglectfully irresponsible they have been in their management of the locations in which these medications are being manufactured. I was very disappointed to learn that they completely ignored previous complaints and allowed these contaminated consumables to enter our homes – AND our children – for the SECOND TIME in the past year!

I will NOT be throwing out the bottle my 7 year old has been ingesting for her frequent headaches… there’s no way I would discard proof that my daughter was subjected to bacterial contamination in a medication we trusted to give her relief. She has been taking this medication 2-3 times a week over the last couple of months and if there turns out to be adverse effects, they’ll be held accountable. Not only is this scary, but it makes me feel very vulnerable and apprehensive about giving my kids meds when things like this can be ongoing issues in such a massive, worldwide company.

Be sure to check your medication lot numbers if you possess
ANY version of the Tylenol, Motrin, Zyrtec, or Benadryl brands.