Washington – A pill designed to give people relief from headaches is instead causing them.
Consumers are having to read the fine print on bottles of acetaminophen to see if the ones in their medicine cabinet are being recalled because of possible contamination with metal.
Perrigo Co. said Thursday it was recalling 11 million bottles of acetaminophen after finding bits of metal, including portions of wire as long as a third of an inch, in some of the 500-milligram caplets it made.
The company is no household name, but it makes and sells acetaminophen to more than 120 of America’s best- known retailers, including Wal-Mart, CVS and Safeway. Those companies in turn sell Perrigo products under their own or other private labels.
There were no immediate reports of injuries or illness. Still, at least two of the companies have begun yanking the Perrigo 500-milligram acetaminophen pills from store shelves.
The Food and Drug Administration warned that consumers who take any of the contaminated pills could suffer minor stomach discomfort or possible cuts to the mouth and throat. Even though the risk is remote, anyone who suspects they have been injured should contact a doctor.
The contaminated pills included metal fragments, some as small as “microdots.” The FDA could not describe further the type of metal.
Stores apparently sold some of the recalled pills as long as three years ago. In interviews, consumers said they would toss any recalled pills they found at home, but didn’t plan to swear off generic versions of the same drug used in Tylenol.
Tylenol, typically more expensive than generic acetaminophen, was not involved in the recall.
