So my aunt sends me a link to this site reporting the latest recall of Tylenol and Benadryl by J&J and McNeil. This time it affects adult strength like it did last fall. In fact, in the last 8 months McNeils recalls include:
- Nov 2009 - Tylenol Arthritis Pain 100 count with EZ open cap (because of unusual odor leading to nausea, stomach pain, vomiting, and nausea)
- Dec 2009 - expaneded to all products of Tylenol Arthritis 100 count with EZ open cap
- Jan 2010 - widened to more Tylenol, Motrin (complaints of odor causing people to feel sick)
- May 2010 - children version of these meds were recalls due to quality and safety concerns
Well, all this is troubling to me because I advise my patients to take Tylenol and Benadryl all the time! They are staples to have around the house!
To get an entire list of products affected, you can go to McNeil's webpage. You can also enter your lot# and call a toll free number to claim your refund or voucher.
Okay, so what are the Tylenol and Benadryl alternatives?
- Tylenol - generic name is Acetaminophen (so any store brand generic)
- Benadryl - generic name is diphenhydramine (again any store brand generic)
The thing is I would have expected issues with the generic versions and not the brand. This all makes me wonder if there are issues with other meds or brands that are just not discovered yet. Oh well... it is what it is.
