The United States (US) Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a voluntary recall of several over-the-counter medications used to treat allergies after it was determined that the tablets may have been cross-contaminated with another drug.
The regulator revealed that Unique Pharmaceutical Laboratories has recalled the cetirizine hydrochloride tablets after it was discovered they may have been contaminated with ranitidine, a medicine formerly known as Zantac.
The problem was noticed when a pharmacy technician saw unusual red dots and discolored cetirizine hydrochloride tablets. Fortunately, so far no adverse events have been reported after consuming the product.
The recall notice explains that some people who are hypertensive to the ingredients in ranitidine, a medication with the ability to block stomach fluids and is used to treat wounds and heat burns, may experience serious health risks if they consume the cross-contaminated drug.
The possible side effects of taking the affected product can be life-threatening and include low blood pressure, difficulty breathing or swallowing, swelling of the throat and face, itchy skin, hives and even loss of consciousness.
The recall is issued from 100-tablet bottles distributed by Rising Pharma Holding Inc. nationwide. Here are the details:
Consumers are advised to contact Rising Pharma Holdings at 1-844-874-7464 during business hours or by email at [email protected] or [email protected] to get answers to their questions.
