HHP Medication Safety Watch: December 2023

This list contains selected items from the full FDA list of recalls, withdrawals, and alerts for medicines and certain health products. We've provided links to FDA information for each product and its maker. Unless otherwise noted, these actions apply only to the specific brand name of the product listed. Talk to your healthcare provider before stopping or changing any medicines or treatments that they have recommended for you.

• Over-the-counter products and medicines
• Prescription medicines

Over-the-counter products and medicines

Anesthetic spray recalled due to contamination with benzene

• Americaine 20% benzocaine topical anesthetic spray (maker: Insight Pharmaceuticals)

Comment: The maker of this product recalled one lot after testing revealed contamination with benzene. Benzene is a carcinogen (a substance that can cause cancer) that can be absorbed through the skin. Extensive exposure to benzene, including repeated exposure over time, can cause leukemia, other cancers, and blood disorders.

This product is sold as topical spray to relieve pain and itching from skin conditions such as minor burns or insect bites.

Prescription medicines

Anti-seizure medicine for infants and small children recalled due to leak in packaging

• Vigabatrin powder for oral solution, 500 mg (maker: InvaGen Pharmaceuticals Inc.)

Comment: One lot of this product has been recalled after powdered medication leaked from its pouches. This could cause underdosing that could lead to seizures in children taking this drug.

Also, vigabatrin may be given with other drugs, including other seizure treatments. Not giving the correct dose of vigabatrin because of leaky packaging could result in seizures, overdose symptoms, or other problems due to change in blood levels of the other medicines.

Read additional issues of HHP Medication Safety Watch