J&J Recalls Infant Tylenol Due to Bottle Flaw

By Lewis Krauskopf

United States - Johnson & Johnson said it was recalling its entire U.S. supply of infant Tylenol after parents complained about problems with a new dosing system, the latest in a string of recalls for the healthcare giant.

Friday's recall involves about 574,000 bottles of the grape-flavored liquid Tylenol for infants younger than 2 years old. Following earlier recalls, J&J had just returned to the market with the infant Tylenol in November, but now will be out of the market for an indefinite time.

The problems involves a new bottle design, which was intended to prevent accidental ingestion and ensure accurate dosing. But when parents inserted a syringe into the bottle, some accidentally pushed a protective cover inside. To date, J&J has received 17 complaints, company spokeswoman Bonnie Jacobs said.

No serious side effects from the infant Tylenol have been reported, and the risk of such problems are "remote," J&J said.

The recall is from stores and wholesalers; consumers can still use the product provided that the protective cover at the top of the bottle remains in place, J&J said.

The recall does not affect Tylenol for children 2 years and older, for which J&J also introduced a new but different design.

The company had said last summer that it was planning to return its products to the markets with the improved designs.

J&J spokeswoman Jacobs said the company did not have a specific date for when it would return to the market with infant Tylenol.

"We are looking for various alternatives for the redesign," Jacobs said. "Once we have reviewed those options, we will set a timeline for the product to return."\

The product was manufactured to specifications, so the company is investigating why it was not performing as expected, Jacobs said.

Jacobs said the company would only make note of a financial impact from the recall when it reports quarterly results, but that infant Tylenol was a "relatively modest" portion of overall sales.

The recall is the latest in a long series for J&J, including not only popular consumer medicine brands such as Tylenol, but also artificial hips and contact lenses.

Secretive Tylenol Recall Kills Child

Ellensburg, Washington - Due to what's being called a “stealth recall” the company Johnson and Johnson may be responsible for the death of a two-year-old.

Daniel and Kathy Moore are suing the company after the July 2010 death of their son. River Moore died after consuming tainted Children's Tylenol that fatally damaged his liver after he coughed up blood. The couple claims the company quietly purchased the bottles instead of issuing a recall to the public.

The family's lawyer, Joseph Messa, said "extensive testing done on River before and after his death ruled out viruses or other conditions as the cause."

Proof of the company's plot rests with several internal email between the executives of McNeil Consumer Healthcare, one of the other companies named in the suit. One of them praises the secretive plan's success, stating “This was a major win for us as it limits the press that will be seen.”

The lawsuit states “Defendant Johnson & Johnson, a Fortune 50 Company with $60 billion in annual sales, knew of defects, impurities and contamination in the children's drugs and, yet, embarked on a ‘phantom’ or ‘stealth’ recall of these drugs to hide these problems so the general public, ignorant of the dangers, would continue buying and administering these brand name drugs to their children.”

Some of the other companies named in the suit are Costco, three Johnson and Johnson subsidiaries, consumer health business head Collen Goggins,and the retailers and distributors of the medication.  The charges are of recklessness, negligence, breach of warranty, infliction of emotional distress, and conspiracy amongst others. 

Johnson and Johnson contest, saying their actions were a precautionary measure and the potential for serious medical events is remote" but consumers who purchased the products should discontinue use.