Pharmacies still selling recalled children's medicines

Abu Dhabi // Pharmacies are continuing to sell more than 40 infant and child medications that were recalled on Friday because they did not meet quality standards. McNeil Consumer Healthcare and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a statement recalling children's liquid over-the-counter medications from the UAE and 10 other countries.

"McNeil Consumer Healthcare is initiating this voluntary recall because some of these products may not meet required quality standards," the company said in the statement, adding that the "potential for serious medical events is remote". "Some of the products included in the recall may contain a higher concentration of active ingredient than is specified; others may contain inactive ingredients that may not meet internal testing requirements; and others may contain tiny particles," the statement said.

The medications include Tylenol Infants' Drops, Children's Tylenol Suspensions, Tylenol Plus, Motrin Drops, Children's Liquid Zyrtec and Children's Allergy Benadryl. The company asked pharmacies and parents to stop selling and using these medications as a precautionary measure. Several pharmacies said they had not been instructed to remove the products. Mohammed Peer, of Care Green Pharmacy in Dubai, said: "Children's Tylenol and Tylenol Plus are available. We haven't received any order to remove them from our shelves yet."

Abdul Jabal, of Al Corniche Pharmacy in Dubai, also said there had been no official directive to remove any children's medication. "Benadryl for children is not available. We have Zyrtec and we are currently out of stock of Tylenol and [Children's] Tylenol Plus, but we will get an order soon," Mr Jabal said. Although the statement on McNeil's website referred only to these medications being sold in Dubai, some pharmacies in other emirates said they stocked the medications.

Dr Amal Rashad, of Al Hakeem Land Pharmacy in Abu Dhabi, said both Children's Tylenol and Tylenol Plus in liquid form were available. He too said there was no order to remove them from the shelves. A pharmacist at Ajman's Al Ansar Pharmacy also confirmed that these medications were still on the shelves and said there had been no order to remove them. Under the protocol for recalling medications, the FDA sends a memorandum to various health authorities which issues a circular to pharmacies telling them to stop selling the medicines. As the recall announcement was issued on a Friday, when government offices are closed, it could not be confirmed if such a memorandum had been received.

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