Some explanation, if you look for it, on the Children's Tylenol recall

The recall information isn't especially easy to find, but consumers who check the Tylenol website under Children's Tylenol News will find a list of children's and infants' Tylenol liquid products that are being pulled from store shelves.

The notice begins: "You may have heard that McNeil Consumer Healthcare (the makers of Tylenol) is voluntarily recalling certain lots of Children's and Infants' Tylenol liquid products that were manufactured between April, 2008 and June, 2008 in consultation with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)."

One of the inactive ingredients apparently didn't meet internal testing requirements. The "news" then essentially skips to the list of products.

But in wee print at the bottom of the Tylenol site's main page, consumers will find a link that says "For Healthcare Professionals."

Follow that and you'll make it to a letter that sheds some light on what you "may have heard":

The company has implemented this recall because examination of bulk raw material detected that one of the inactive ingredients did not meet internal testing requirements.Specifically, the gram-negative bacteria Burkholderia cepacia (B. cepacia) was detected. The portion of raw material in which the bacteria was found was isolated and was not used in the production of any finished product. However, it was decided, as a precaution, to recall all product that utilized any of the raw material manufactured at the same time as the raw material that tested positive for the bacteria. Please note: No bacteria has been detected in finished product and the finished product has met all specifications.

Here's US Recall News' list of 21 affected products:

Children’s Tylenol Plus Cold MS Suspension 4 oz. Grape
Children’s Tylenol Suspension 4 oz. Grape
Children’s Tylenol Suspension 4 oz. Strawberry
Children’s Tylenol Suspension 4 oz. Bubble Gum
Infants’ Tylenol Suspension 1/2 oz. Cherry
Infants’ Tylenol Grape Suspension Drops 1/4 oz.
Children’s Tylenol Dye Free Suspension 4 oz. Cherry
Children’s Tylenol Suspension 4 oz. Cherry
Children’s Tylenol Plus Cough & Runny Nose 4 oz. Cherry
Infants’ Tylenol Suspension Drops 1/2 oz. Grape
Children’s Tylenol Plus Flu 4 oz. Bubble Gum
Children’s Tylenol Plus Cold Suspension 4 oz. Grape
Children’s Tylenol Plus Cough/ST Suspension 4 oz. Cherry
Infants’ Tylenol Suspension Drops 1 oz. Grape
Infants’ Tylenol Dye Free Suspension 1 oz. Cherry
Children’s Tylenol Pediatric Suspension 1 oz. Cherry
Infants’ Tylenol Suspension Drops 1 oz. Cherry
Children’s Tylenol Plus Cold/Allergy 4 oz. Bubble Gum
Infants’ Tylenol Grape Suspension Drops H/G 1/2 oz.
Infants’ Tylenol Drops 1 oz. Grape
Children’s Tylenol Suspension 4 oz. Cherry, Hospital Govt.

-- Tami Dennis

Comments

[reggie roberts]

WR - My mom called to say that Children's Tylenol has been recalled.

FYI

[Michael]

Thanks alot for the article, I googled tylenol recall and found this page, and im glad I did. I went to the tylenol page and scouted for the recall information but didnt find it anywhere. I found this page, and learned where to find it.

It infuriates me to no end that they would make the information so hard to find! Something should be done, so a company cannot hide this sort of information deep in their site, when it SHOULD be found on the homepage, if not only with a link that says recalls!

Thanks again for writing the article.

[Kim Monroe]

Where do you find the manufactured date on the bottle when all that is given is the expiration date?

[Natalie]

CNN has a list of lot numbers affected by the recall here: http://money.cnn.com/2009/09/24/news/companies/tylenol_recall/index.htm?postversion=2009092415

[Tarra Staples]

You may have heard that McNeil Consumer Healthcare (the makers of Tylenol) is voluntarily recalling certain lots of Children's and Infants' TYLENOL® liquid products that were manufactured between April, 2008 and June, 2008 in consultation with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The company is implementing this voluntary recall at the warehouse and retail levels, because examination of one of the inactive ingredients did not meet internal testing requirements. However, the packaged product, shipped to retailers by the company, has met all specifications.
These actions do not apply to Children's Tylenol Meltaways and Junior Strength Tylenol Meltaways. The voluntary recall applies only to select lots of Children's and Infants' TYLENOL® liquid products.

If you have any of the potentially affected products in your home and have questions you can contact the McNeil Consumer Call Care Center at 1-800-962-5357 (available Monday-Friday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern Time.)

Parents and caregivers who have given the product to their child or infant and have concerns should contact their child's health care provider.

The full list of affected products is below. Consumers can find the lot numbers on the bottom of the box containing the product and also on the sticker that surrounds the product bottle. If you have more questions, please contact our consumer call center at 1-800-962-5357.
UPC # Code # Lot # Product Description
300450391049 3910400 SBM041, SBM067, SCM037, SDM027, SEM109 Children's Tylenol Plus Cold MS Suspension 4 oz. Grape
300450296047 2960400 SBM042, SCM015, SCM036, SDM034 Children's Tylenol Suspension 4oz. Grape
300450407047 4070400 SBM043, SBM044, SCM029 Children's Tylenol Suspension 4oz. Bubble Gum
300450493040 4930400 SBM045, SCM011, SCM030, SDM035 Children's Tylenol Suspension 4oz. Strawberry
300450122407 1224000 SBM064, SCM033, SDM020 Infant’s Tylenol Grape Suspension Drops 1/4oz.
300450186157 1861500 SBM065, SCM005, SCM006, SDM032 Infant's Tylenol Suspension 1/2oz. Cherry
300450166043 1660400 SBM066, SCM068 Children's Dye Free Suspension 4oz. Cherry
300450123046 1230400 SBM068, SCM035, SCM070, SCM080, SDM005 Children's Tylenol Suspension 4oz. Cherry
300450249043 2490400 SBM069, SBM070, SCM081, SDM006 Children's Tylenol Plus Cough & Runny Nose 4oz. Cherry
300450122155 1221500 SCM012, SCM067, SDM007, SDM068 Infant's Tylenol Suspension Drops 1/2oz. Grape
300450386045 3860400 SCM013, SCM014, SCM069 Children's Tylenol Plus Flu 4oz. Bubble Gum
300450387042 3870400 SCM016, SFM024 Children's Tylenol Plus Cold Suspension 4oz. Grape
300450247049 2470400 SCM017 Children's Tylenol Plus Cough/ST Suspension 4oz. Cherry
300450122018 1220100 SCM082, SDM039, SDM040 Infant's Tylenol Suspension Drops 1oz. Grape
300450167019 1670100 SCM083, SCM084, SDM008 Infant's Tylenol Dye Free Suspension 1oz. Cherry
300450123015 1230100 SDM064 Children’s Tylenol Pediatric Suspension 1oz. Cherry
300450186300 1863000 SDM038, SDM009 Infant's Tylenol Suspension Drops 1oz. Cherry
300450390042 3900400 SDM033 Children's Tylenol Plus Cold/Allergy 4oz. Bubble Gum
300450122100 1221000 SDM078 Infant's Tylenol Drops 1oz. Grape
350580144183 1221800 SCM034 Infant’s Tylenol Grape Suspension Drops H/G 1/2oz.
350580123034 1230300 SDM028 Children's Tylenol Suspension 4oz. Cherry, Hospital Govt.

[Solomother]

If I am reading the explanation correctly, it looks like Tylenol basically used the five second rule: they removed the portion of the ingredient that was found to contain the bacteria, and put the rest of the batch into their medicines. Really. Tell me that that’s not exactly what they did:

“The portion of raw material in which the bacteria was found was isolated and was not used in the production of any finished product.”

Yup. If it had been a pacifier, they would have scooped it up off the streets of New York City, wiped it off on their shirt, and popped it back into your kid’s mouth.

EWW. I mean, come on. At least I use some momspit to wash it off first.

[mosher]

I just bought a bottle of tylenol at the grocery store today. THank goodness i ran across an article of this by chance on FACEBOOK anyhow why are the bottles still on the shelf? HELLO these are children. THe company needs to be more upfront about this.

[Gabrielle]

So although it says it only affected medicine that was made between April 2008 and June 2008, how long were those bottles sold? This really upsets me that they are JUST now telling us this. I gave my infant daughter plenty of doses of infant Tylenol, but I didn't actually BUY it in before June 2008.

[Miranda]

This is really scary!!! It took them this long to deside to let us know!!!! Seriuosly dont we have enough to worry about with all the viruses going around? Now my kids have already taken the medicine and where is the info about the possible side effects??

[Miranda]

this is really scary!!! It took them this long to deside to let us know!!!! Seriuosl dont we have enough to worry about with all the viruses going around? Now my kids have already taken the medicine and where is the info about the possible side effects

[maureen]

do we return the products to the store??? I have many bottles, 2 in each bathroom...and no longer have receipts. it is expensive and I expect an exchange. any information on this?

[Heather Abdelrahman]

My question is, how come the website of Tylenol does not give any information on what do we do now if we gave our children this medicine? I recently just gave my 4mos. daughter the medicine yesterday and today. This medicine is one of the lot #'s that was recalled. I'm scared!!!!!!

[Christina Higdon]

The recall is for items made between April 2008 and June 2008. On the tylenol.com website there are LOT numbers that you can check your product against.

[Amy]

they must have changed it because it is now the first thing on their homepage.

[Mary Beth]

just on the off chance that B. cepacia was a non-harmful bacteria, I gave tylenol the benefit of the doubt and wiki'd it:

B. cepacia is an important human pathogen which most often causes pneumonia in immunocompromised individuals with underlying lung disease (such as cystic fibrosis or chronic granulomatous disease).

yeah, thought not.

[Raito]

I'm glad I found this! My infant neice gets Tylenol Drops!

[jay]

I have one of the products at home, the UPC code matches, but not the lot #.. so it is an affected product?

[sonne]

I went to cnn.com website their expert said that the bacteria found b. cepacia is killed by the enzymes and acid of your stomach. the bacteria would most likely not cause harm. If the bacteria were to be inhaled say through a nasal spray that would be a cause for concern. I am angry that they took so long to recall. Im glad that its not as serious as it could have been.

[TY]

Nothing to get scared over moms, dads, and caregivers. It's really easy to just call the hotline on the tylenol.com website if your lot number was the one that has been affected. I had two bottles, and yes, one of them is half gone by now. Just toss out the recalled stuff (in the garbage, not the sink or toilet) and you will be getting coupons in the mail for the ones you tossed. I really appreciate the full article as to the inactive ingredients involved. Maybe Tylenol will give us more rather than less information since many parents/people jump to worst case senarios.

[Gaiane Villemaire]

I have a Children's Tylenol with cherry flavor. My Daughter who is almost 3 1/2 yrs old, seemly has been stomach hurting all the time that she has bad cold.

I bought two bottle together from Costco. My daughter will be seeing her Doctor at Kaiser today.
Gaiane

[roger]

I too am at a loss of what to do with the recalled medicine. I followed the instructions, called the #, and they said they had a high volume of calls and to hang up and consult the website (which says nothing about what to do with the recalled bottles). If I am to expect coupons, TY, I guess I need to talk to someone at Tylenol about it first instead of just tossing them in the garbage, eh?

[Barbara Gravel]

We are using children's tylenol very berry 4oz. oral suspension. Is this the same thing as children's tylenol strawberry, which is recalled, or is it different? Please notify,thanks, barbara gravel

[betheney]

I completely agree with all of these posts!! I can not believe there are people working for this " well trusted company." Whoever was responsible for this should definitely be fired. There is no reason parents, such as myself, can not easily find this recall. If the makers of Tylenol made it so hard to find they must be hiding something. Parents trust you people, there is no reason you should be hiding something like this. The health of children is more important than your pay checks!

[Kathleen]

So, how do we know if we had a bottle of the effected Tylenol early on, finished it, and tossed it? We went through a lot a couple of months ago while my daughter was teething. What would happen if she ingested it? Has anyone found any information on that? Thanks guys! This is definitely scary.

[jh]

I read these types of articles and posts and always wonder who "they" is at Tylenol that everyone keeps referring to. "I can't believe THEY did that." Who exactly is they? "The Man?" Who is "The Man" anyway? If this took so long to come out it was most likely because some individual detected it and decided it wasn't a problem. That individual was probably a middle class Joe with a science degree and a family of his own (yes people with science degrees are middle class too). Could be your next door neighbor for all we know. If this took so long to get out, it's probably because someone in upper management finally got wind of it, immediately realized it was a problem and issued the recall because it was the right thing to do.

And just in case you're wondering... I don't work for Tylenol, I don't have a science degree and I'm not in "management" at the company I do work for. Just someone who's increasingly getting more disappointed with our middle class in this country. I did find a bottle of the recalled lot in my cabinet, and am just grateful for the VOLUNTARY recall so that I don't give more to my child.