Johnson & Johnson issued a massive recall on January 15, 2010 on several over-the-counter drugs including, Tylenol, children’s’ Tylenol, Simply Sleep, Motrin and St. Joseph’s aspirin. But the Federal Drug Administration was unhappy with the length of time it took Johnson & Johnson to put out the recall because they know of a problem long before the 15th.
The problem identified has a moldy smell that has made at least 70 people sick – with signs including nausea, stomach pain, vomiting and diarrhea. It is believed the smell comes from small amounts of a chemical associated with the treatment of wooden pallets, and the chemical can leach into the air. The source of the problem appears to be traced to a facility in Las Piedras, Puerto Rico.
The products recalled are found on a list at http://www.mcneilproductrecall.com/ and include children’s products as well. The FDA believes Johnson & Johnson knew about the problem as early as 2008 and they failed to warn of the problem until much later. Consumers are urged to review the medicines in their possession to see if they are part of the recall.