If You Take This Medication, the FDA Says Call Your Doctor Now

THIS COMMON PRESCRIPTION COULD BE CONTAMINATED AND MAY LEAD TO SERIOUS HEALTH COMPLICATIONS.

It's not just the formulation of your prescription medications that counts when it comes to your health. If those meds aren't packaged carefully, they could be putting your safety at risk, too. On March 11, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced the recall of a blood pressure medication over concerns that an error in its packaging could have led to contamination. Read on to discover if the medication you're using could be putting you at risk. And for more medication safety tips, check out If You're Swallowing Your Medication With This, Stop Immediately.

The recall is limited to three lots of Sagent Pharmaceuticals, Inc.'s Phenylephrine Hydrochloride Injection in 10 mg./mL concentrations. The medication, which is typically used to treat low blood pressure (most frequently related to the administration of anesthesia), has been pulled from the market over concerns that the vial overseal is not sufficiently snug, which could lead to potential contamination of the product.

The affected medication is printed with lot numbers PHT8IB2, PHT9IB2, or PHT1JB2, has expiration dates of 08/2022 or 09/2022, and can also be identified by NDC number 25021-315-01.

If you're in possession of the affected medication, the FDA recommends that you stop using it immediately and return the product, using a form on the Sagent Pharmaceuticals website. You can also contact the company's customer service line at (866) 625-1618 on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. CST. Medical professionals can reach Sagent's Medical Affairs line at 866-625-1618 by selecting option 3 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Sagent isn't the only company that's pulled its products from the market over the past few months, however; read on to discover which medicines and supplements have been recently recalled. And for more health and safety issues to avoid, If You Have This Piercing, Take It Out Right Now, Officials Warn.

1
Bryant Ranch Prepack spironolactone tablets
iStock

Bryant Ranch Prepack spironolactone tablets were pulled from the market earlier in March after it was discovered that the company's 25-mg. tablets and 50-mg. tablets may have been put into the wrong packaging, potentially leading to individuals getting half or double their usual dose.

In the FDA recall notice, the agency notes that this could potentially cause life-threatening complications, including serious elevations in blood pressure, edema, an irregular heartbeat, or a potentially fatal potassium surge. Photos of the affected products' packaging is available via the FDA recall notice.

If you have the affected medicine at home, you can call Bryant Ranch Prepack at 877-885-0882 from Monday through Friday between 6:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. PST with questions; the company may also reach out to you. And for more recall news delivered straight to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter.

2
Dr. Reddy medications
Shutterstock/Andrey_Popov

On Feb. 21, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CSPC) announced the recall of approximately 21,400 packages of certain Dr. Reddy brand medications after it was discovered that the packaging was not child-resistant and could present a poisoning risk to children. The recall included 100-mg. Imatinib Mesylate tablets, 400-mg. Imatinib Mesylate tablets, 50-mg. Pregabalin capsules, 75-mg. Pregabalin capsules, 100-mg. Pregabalin capsules, 150-mg. Pregabalin capsules, 800-mg. Sevelamer Carbonate tablets, 5-mg. Tadalafil tablets, and 20-mg. Tadalafil tablets.

If you have the affected medication at home, the CPSC recommends storing it safely somewhere children cannot access it and contacting Dr. Reddy's at 888-375-3784 or online at www.drreddys.com for a refund. And for more safety hazards hiding in plain sight, check out If You're Using This to Charge Your Phone, Officials Say to Stop Now.

3
Adam's Secret supplements
Shutterstock

A male enhancement supplement was pulled from the market in February after it was discovered that the non-prescription formula may contain ingredients from prescription medications. The supplements in question—Adam's Secret Extra Strength 1500 tablets and Adam's Secret Extra Strength 3000 tablets—may contain sildenafil and/or tadalafil, the effective ingredients in Viagra and Cialis, respectively.

The FDA notes that the addition of these ingredients could dangerously lower blood pressure in individuals who take nitrate medication, and could cause a long list of side effects in otherwise healthy people, ranging from heartburn to sudden death. If you have the medication at home, the FDA recommends that you stop taking them immediately and return them to the store from which they were purchased.

4
Scalpa Numb anesthetic cream
simarik / iStock

Whether you're thinking of using it to dull the pain from a vaccine or a new tattoo, you might want to check the packaging on that numbing cream to ensure it's safe first. In January, the CPSC announced the recall of Scalpa Numb Maximum Strength Topical Anesthetic Cream over concerns that the packaging isn't child-resistant. If you have the cream at home, contact manufacturer Scalpa for a full refund. And if you want to keep yourself and your furry family members safe, If You're Feeding Your Pet This Food, You're Both at Risk, FDA Says.