Acetaminophen Bottles Containing Metal Fragments Recalled

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Today, a manufacturer of store-brand acetaminophen, the headache medicine found in generic form in several stores such as Wal-Mart, CVS Pharmacy, Walgreens and Costco, announced that eleven million of its bottles of acetaminophen contained more than just an aspirin substitute. Unfortunately, because the addition to the active ingredient may prove to be a bit hard to digest, Perrigo Company, the generic acetaminophen manufacturer made a decision to recall its defective generic headache medicine bottles from store shelves throughout the country.

What was inadvertently added to the over-the-counter medicine, you might ask? Metal fragments which no doubt not only taste bad but can also hurt.

Perrigo Co. (PRGO) said it discovered the metal bits during quality-control checks. The company passed 70 million pills through a metal detector and discovered the metal in about 200 caplets, according to the Food and Drug Administration. The fragments ranged in size from "microdots" to portions of wire one-third of an inch long.

The recall affects bottles containing various amounts of 500-milligram caplets.

Additional details about the specific products recalled will be forthcoming from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). According to the FDA,

Consumers who swallow any of the contaminated pills could suffer minor stomach discomfort or possible cuts to the mouth and throat, the FDA said, adding that the risk of serious injury was remote. Anyone who suspects they have been injured should contact their doctor, the agency said.

I guess that means that if you buy the company's tainted headache medicine, it may do a great job by simply focusing pain away from your head and onto your stomach.