The medicines watchdog has today (5 November) recalled forty further batches of paracetamol 500mg tablets made by the manufacturer M & A Pharmachem ‘as a precautionary measure’ over fears they may have become contaminated.

In June, the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulation Agency (MHRA) recalled two batches of the same tablets due to fungal contamination fears.

An MHRA spokesperson told The Pharmacist that following further testing, M & A Pharmachem detected discoloured tablets contaminated with the fungus Penicillium citrinium in a small number of pots from some batches.

Pharmacists should stop dispensing the affected batches immediately, quarantine them and return all the remaining stock to the supplier, the watchdog added.

The affected batches can be viewed here.

 

'No anticipated shortage'

 

There is ‘no anticipated shortage’ of the medicine as alternative paracetamol 500mg products are available, the MHRA spokesperson stressed.

The watchdog reiterated that it is ‘unlikely’ that any affected tablets will have reached patients as the discolouration is ‘noticeable’ when the pack is opened.