Urgent recall of iconic Aussie ointment over fears kids could be left with blisters, hives and even tachycardia because of mislabelling issue
- The Therapeutic Goods Administration urged customers to check Vicks jars
- The mishap means some bottles of ‘Xtra strong’ are labelled as regular strength
- Kids aged between six and 10 could experience rashes, hives or tachycardia
- Customers should look for a red lid and batch number 222605 on their Vicks
Aussies have been urged to check their jars if Vicks ointment over fears a mislabelling issue could lead to allergic reactions or adverse side-effects in kids.
The labelling mistake led to some bottles of ‘Xtra strong’ Vicks vaporising ointment being labeled as the regular strength bottles.
Vicks, which takes effect after rubbing the ointment on the body, relieves cough and cold symptoms and is a staple of most Australian medicine cabinets.
The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) urged customers to return the product, warning some consumers could experience an allergic reaction to the stronger formula that could lead to rashes, hives or swelling.
The TGA also issued a warning to parents with children between the ages of six and 10.
The TGA has urgently recalled defective bottles of Vicks (above) after ‘Xtra strength’ bottles have been mislabelled as regular strength with fears kids aged six to 10 could be at risk
Kids inhaling steam with the ‘Xtra strong’ Vicks could be at higher risk of ‘temporary and reversible’ adverse events such as eye irritation, headaches, dizziness, nausea and even tachycardia.
Tachycardia is the medical term for a heart rate over 100 beats per minute and may not cause any symptoms or complications.
If left untreated however, tachycardia can result in serious health issues such as heart failure, stroke or sudden cardiac death.
The TGA told customers to look for the batch number 222605, or alternatively seeing if their bottle has a red cap instead of the usual green one seen on regular strength bottles.
‘If you have a jar of Vicks VapoRub Xtra Strong 100g from batch 222605, do not use it,’ the TGA said.
‘Return it to the place of purchase for a refund or call our customer service line to arrange the return of affected product and refund.’
The defective product was sold in Chemist Warehouses and My Chemists in New South Wales, Victoria, and Tasmania.
Procter & Gamble Australia, the pharmaceutical company that makes Vicks, said it ‘sincerely regrets the inconvenience caused to our customers and consumers’.
The Vicks recall comes a day after the ACCC issued a warning for JSHealth’s ‘Detox + Debloat’ tablets.
The tablets were found to contain fennel seed extract which can be harmful to ‘women who are pregnant, likely to become pregnant or are breast-feeding or children under 12 years of age’.
***
Read more at DailyMail.co.uk