British pharmaceuticals manufacturer Reckitt has recalled certain packages of non-prescription painkiller Nurofen Plus. A drug recall was initiated after authorities became aware of three packages of the medicine that had been switched (seemingly on purpose) with a powerful antipsychotic drug called Seroquel XL. Seroquel XL is most often used to treat schizophrenia and is of little use for treating head and body aches, which are the most common applications for Nurofen Plus.
While one dose is not hugely harmful for a healthy adult to take, any doctor will tell you that taking prescription medications which have not been prescribed to you by your doctor is a risky and dangerous proposition. As it stands, healthy consumers who accidentally take a single dose or two of Seroquel XL will likely experience some drowsiness and should not drive or operate heavy machinery. Any user with major concerns about a recent accidental ingestion should contact their general practitioner or seek other medical care as necessary. The packaging and remaining medicine should be returned to the pharmacy where it was purchased.
Beyond the possibility of drowsiness, other side effects could include dizziness and headache. These symptoms affect more than one in ten users. Another serious risk is that patients are already taking other drugs that have an adverse reaction with Seroquel XL may accidentally take a dose of the antipsychotic and cause a medical emergency.
This is a drug recall that seems to be the result of a person or persons purposefully tampering with medication packaging. According to some reports, an animal rights group may have sabotaged the normally fine packages of Nurofen and switched them with Seroquel. The reason for this suspicion stems from the fact that the two drugs are produced and packed at entirely different facilities, making the possibility of an accidental mixup nonexistent. Additionally, Rickett has been the subject of criticism for testing its products on animals, hence the suspicion of intervention by animal rights activists.
Telling the different medications apart is easy, however, as Seroquel XL comes in a large capsule form shipped in gold and black packaging. Nurofen Plus, on the other hand, comes in a smaller tablet form and has silver/black packaging. In a move that parallels something that the US FDA might do, the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has requested that pharmacists inspect all 32-count packages of Nurofen Plus. Only pharmacies carry this specific configuration of the drug, making it that much easier to find some instances of tampered medication and get them out of circulation.
There were fears that the switched drugs might have made their ways to New Zealand despite the best efforts of authorities and Reckitt. A statement by Nurofen Plus indicated that the confirmed cases were confined to the UK. Phil Berry, global medical director for Nurofen Plus said this:
“We are taking this matter extremely seriously and we are working to investigate fully. We have no reason to believe Nurofen Plus in any other country is affected.”
