Britons have been urged to check their pill drawer following an urgent medicine recall due to contamination fears.
Aspen Pharma Trading Limited has issued a Class 2 Medicines Recall for a specific batch of Mercaptopurine 50mg tablets due to microbial contamination.
The recall follows a small number of complaints about discoloured tablets discovered when packs were opened by healthcare professionals.
The contamination has been identified as Penicillium Kongii, a type of fungus. The company is taking this action as a precautionary measure to ensure patient safety.
Mercaptopurine is an active ingredient used in medical treatments
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Mercaptopurine is an active ingredient used in certain medical treatments, and authorities are advising both healthcare professionals and patients on appropriate next steps.
The affected batch is identified as P0010384 with an expiry date of 31 December 2028. The 25-tablet packs were first distributed on 8 January 2025, just over four months ago.
The issue came to light when healthcare professionals opened packs and noticed discoloured tablets.
The product can be identified by its GTIN number 05060598250817 and is marketed under licence PL: 39699/0047 by Aspen Pharma Trading Limited.
Healthcare professionals have been instructed to immediately stop supplying the affected batch of Mercaptopurine tablets.
They should quarantine all remaining stock and return it to their supplier using the supplier's approved process.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has issued this guidance as part of the Class 2 recall procedure.
For medical information enquiries about this product, healthcare professionals can email Aspenmedinfo@professionalinformation.co.uk or telephone 01748 828391.
Those with stock control enquiries are advised to email uk.stockenquiries@aspenpharma.eu.
NHS regional teams have been asked to forward this information to community pharmacists and dispensing general practitioners.
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The contamination has been identified as Penicillium Kongii
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Patients are advised to check if they have received tablets from batch P0010384, with the batch number visible on the medicine bottle label.
If tablets from this batch appear discoloured in any way, patients should contact their specialist or prescriber.
"The tablets should be a ‘pale yellow colour and are marked with ‘PT / 50’, as per the Patient Information Leaflet (PIL)" according to Gov.UK
Importantly, patients should not stop taking their medication without discussing this with their healthcare professional, as additional monitoring may be required.
Anyone experiencing adverse reactions or with questions about their medication should seek medical attention.
Suspected adverse reactions should be reported via the MHRA Yellow Card scheme. The recall is being managed as a precautionary measure to ensure patient safety.
