HHP Medication Safety Watch: June 2021

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

Hand sanitizer recalled because containers look like water bottles

• Prairie Wolf Distillery Hand Sanitizer (maker: Prairie Wolf Spirits, Inc.)

Comment: The makers of this product are recalling their 16.9-ounce and 20-ounce containers because they resemble water bottles, which may increase the risk of accidentally drinking it. Hand sanitizers contain alcohol and that can cause poor coordination, slurred speech, sedation, or even coma and death due to alcohol toxicity. In addition, alcohol can interact with many medicines and can impair driving.

See additional FDA recalls and alerts for more than 250 hand sanitizer products in recent months due to methanol contamination, inappropriate labeling, or other issues.

Prescription medicines

• Metformin hydrochloride, extended-release tablets, 750 mg (maker: Viona Pharmaceuticals, Inc.)

Comment: Metformin is prescribed for type 2 diabetes. Certain lots of this drug were found to contain a higher than acceptable level of N-Nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA), which is classified as a probable carcinogen (a compound that may cause cancer).

In recent months, the FDA has issued recalls regarding more than 250 recalls regarding metformin. See this link for the full list.

Read additional issues of HHP Medication Safety Watch