| Topamax Recall for Contamination From TBA, By-Product of Wood Treating Chemical |
Drugmaker Johnson & Johnson today recalled 57,000 bottles of its Topamax epilepsy and migraine drug due to complaints of an “uncharacteristic odor” associated with the tablets. A spokesman stated that the odor is caused by trace amounts of a compound called TBA, a by-product of a chemical used to treat wood in some countries. The wood is used to construct pallets on which products are transported and stored.
The two lots involved in the recall were shipped between Oct. 19, 2010, and Dec. 28, 2010, and distributed in the U.S. and Puerto Rico. The recall includes Topamax with NDC code 50458-641-65 and lot numbers OKG110 with an expiration date of 06-2012 and OLG222 with an expiration date of 09-2012. Although Johnson & Johnson claims TBA is not considered toxic, some patients taking the contaminated drug have reported gastrointestinal symptoms.
This recall follows shortly after the FDA safety announcement we previously reported that
Topamax can cause birth defects such as cleft lips and cleft palates in the children of women who took
Topamax while pregnant. To learn more about the potential dangers of
Topamax, go
HERE.
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