TOTAL RECALL
Boots urgently pulls paracetamol tablets from shelves & warns shoppers ‘do NOT take’ after dangerous blunder
The drug in the tablets could be dangerous for patients
BOOTS have urgently recalled paracetamol tablets from shelves and warned shoppers to avoid taking them.
The high street pharmacy stuck a "do not take" alert on a batch of its 500mg tablets.
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Boots said the tablets were incorrectly packaged with a foil blister insert for Boots Aspirin 300mg dispersible tablets.
It is feared the drug could contain aspirin which can be dangerous for some patients.
Responding to comments on Facebook, Boots clarified that the packages contained the correct pills but in the wrong foil.
Boots said the supplier was conducting a full investigation.
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The pharmacy told customers they can return the product to their local store for a full refund.
Batch and expiry information can be found on the top of the pack where it is opened.
The recall only impacts one batch of its 16-pack tablets with the item code 81-99-922 and an expiry date of December 2029.
Boots Paracetamol 500mg packs, with the batch number 241005, should not be kept at home, even if the error is known, as this could lead to confusion and an incorrect dose being taken.
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Anyone who has purchased this product for someone else should inform them as soon as possible.
Dr Stephanie Millican, MHRA Deputy Director Benefit Risk Evaluation, said: "Patient safety is always our priority. It is vitally important that you check the packaging of your Boots Paracetamol 500mg Tablets 16s, and if the batch number is 241005, you should stop using the product and return it to a Boots store for a full refund.
"If you are unsure which pack you have purchased or have taken Boots Paracetamol 500mg Tablets and experienced any side effects, seek advice from a healthcare professional.
"Please report any suspected adverse reactions via the MHRA’s Yellow Card scheme.
"If you have any questions or require further advice, please seek advice from your pharmacist or other relevant healthcare professional."
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A statement from Boots read: "The safety and well-being of our customers is very important to us.
"Please do not take this product and instead return it to your local Boots store for a full refund.
"If you've bought this product for someone else, it's important that you let them know about this as soon as possible."
"For more information please contact Boots Customer Care Team on 0800 915 0004," Boots said.
Paracetamol is a common painkiller used to treat aches and pain and high temperatures.
The usual dose of is one or two 500mg tablets at a time, up to four times in 24 hours.
Meanwhile, the maximum dose is eight 500mg tablets in 24 hours.
Aspirin is an anti-inflammatory drug similarly used for aches and pains such as headache, toothache and period pain.
It can also be used to treat colds and flu-like symptoms, and to bring down a high temperature.
However, while paracetamol and aspirin are both effective painkillers, aspirin is not suitable to take for people with certain health conditions or allergies to the drug.
But the NHS says you should only take daily low-dose aspirin if your doctor recommends it.
This is because of how aspirin helps to stop blood from clotting, which as a side effect, can make people bleed more easily.
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For this reason, medics advise patients taking blood thinning medications, like warfarin, to avoid taking aspirin.
The NHS also warns that taking aspirin regularly can cause ulcers in the gut by damaging the stomach and intestinal lining.
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