Legal news for New York product liability attorneys— McNeil Consumer Healthcare’s agency filed consumer complaints a year later.
New York, NY (NewYorkInjuryNews.com) –The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) www.fda.gov has announced that McNeil Consumer Healthcare’s Johnson & Johnson unit should have taken action to recall Tylenol and other over-the-counter products after filed complaints of a strange smell of the product, according to the Wall Street Journal.
The FDA’s office of compliance sent the company a letter informing them of the violation of agency reporting rules and manufacturing practice rules. Consumers had been complaining about a mildew, moldy smell coming from the products in September 2008, and the agency did not begin a full investigation into the problem or report the complaints to the FDA until September 2009.
Friday, January 15, 2009, McNeil Consumer Healthcare expanded the recall to more than just Tylenol, but also recalled several other products such as Benadryl, Motrin, St. Joseph’s Aspirin. There were also complaints of musty-smelling Rolaids. There were consumer reports of nausea and temporal stomach issues due to use of the medication.
Investigations revealed that the moldy smell was linked to traces of a chemical that is applied to wood pallets used to ship the products. The company first recalled the Tylenol products in November 2009, simultaneously; the FDA was inspecting one of the agency’s plant in Puerto Rico. The FDA reported that, with the expanded recall, there were 50 million bottles recalled. It was noted that in 2009, Tylenol made up about $1 million in sales across the country. A report released by company, which stated that it failed to test if the Tylenol was contaminated, even after numerous consumer complaints.
The FDA is currently investigating the matter to determine if other companies use wooden pallets that contain this chemical. “All drug manufacturers have a corporate responsibility to ensure their products are high quality, safe and effective,” reported an official.
Bridget Hom
www.NewYorkInjuryNews.com