V.I. Health Department officials are warning the public about recalls on five million units of Johnson & Johnson Co’s. children’s medication, including Children’s Benadryl Allergy Fastmelt Tablets, Junior Strength Motrin Caplets and Extra Strength Rolaids Softchews.
The voluntary recalls were issued by the company’s McNeil Laboratories division, which is pulling the cherry and grape flavors of the Benadryl tablets distributed in the U.S. Belize, Barbados, Canada, Puerto Rico, St. Martin and St. Thomas, along with all lots of the 24-count Motrin Caplets distributed in the United States.
The recalls went out after Food and Drug Administration (FDA) inspectors found "numerous problems" with the company’s operation in Puerto Rico, according to a V.I. Health Department release.
"Among the violations that the FDA cited the company for were shipping drugs that failed quality requirements, failing to identify product defects during routine testing, failing to detect incorrect expiration dates on drug labels, failing to adequately investigate product problems, failing to follow laboratory controls and inadequate training of lab staff," the release said.
Residents are urged to stop using the recalled products and await more information from the Health Department as it becomes available, according to the release.
For more information on the recalls, residents can visit www.healthvi.org or www.fda.gov.
