recall at Rite-aid

[Thomas]

i went to pick up Metoprolol 50 at rite aid and Just found out about the recall. Pharmacist said i should have got a letter in the mail and told him no such thing ever hapend. now im confused as to what will happen next becuse the pharmacist said they are out and only limited supplys.

[jim]

I just called Rite-Aide corporate customer service(one eight hundred seven four eight three two four three) and asked why Metoprolol had been recalled. They said they didn't know and gave me Ethex corp recall number..(one eight hundred seven four eight one four seven two)...

I called Ethex and they told me that Metoprolol had not been recalled. I kept asking her why Rite-Aid pharmacist had said it was recalled and finally she asked me what size I was prescribed and I told her 100mg......then she said that it was on back-order.

I think something fishy is going on. Everyone knows that all sorts of people have experienced horrible unexpected side effects from the Ethex Metoprolol. I think there is some kind of cover up going on.

[rich]

Recall: Metoprolol ER Tablets by Sandoz
Sandoz is voluntarily extending the September 17, 2008, recall of Metoprolol Succinate Extended Release Tablets
25mg and 50mg, to include all strengths of distributed lots with expiration dates through August 2010. This voluntary
action by Sandoz is due to deficiencies in documentation practices and in-process controls for this product. This
voluntary recall is being conducted down to the retail level with the knowledge of the FDA. The affected lots were
shipped approximately between November 2006 and October 2008.(Sandoz Press Release 11/3/08)
http://www.ipcrx.com/public/updates/highpoint...

[jim]

rich wrote:

Recall: Metoprolol ER Tablets by Sandoz
Sandoz is voluntarily extending the September 17, 2008, recall of Metoprolol Succinate Extended Release Tablets
25mg and 50mg, to include all strengths of distributed lots with expiration dates through August 2010. This voluntary
action by Sandoz is due to deficiencies in documentation practices and in-process controls for this product. This
voluntary recall is being conducted down to the retail level with the knowledge of the FDA. The affected lots were
shipped approximately between November 2006 and October 2008.(Sandoz Press Release 11/3/08)
http://www.ipcrx.com/public/updates/highpoint...

yep, I know all about that recall, but according to the information in this thread, people have stated that they have been told by Rite-Aide that Metoprolol manufactured by Ethex (not Sandoz) had been recalled.

[Jennifer in Floirda]

I called Walmart pharmacy to re-fill my Metoprolol ER 50 mg and the too told me it was recalled so it is not just Rite-Aide who is doing this.
Walmart told me I had to call my doctor to get Metoprolol ER 25 mg for twice a day because they said that didn't have any problems. However, I did research online and found a link to Pharmacy Industry News:
http://www.ipcrx.com/public/updates/highpoint...
And it tells you that the 25 mg is recalled as well.
So I called my doctor's office and told them what I was told and they were not aware of the recall at all. So I faxed them a copy of the information from the link above. A few hours later I got a call from my doctor's nurse and she said they are changing my medication completely. She said they have a lot of people on this medication and will be calling all of them to change it because they knew nothing about the recall at all. She thanked me for sending her the information.

[Kathy]

I started on the Toprol XL 50 MG about three years ago. I used to get my prescriptions filled at CVS. When I switched to WalMart Pharmacy WalMart chose to give me the generic. I've been on the generic for a year now and I have had no noticeable physical problems with it. I went to refill yesterday at WalMart and was told the generic is not available at this time - no mention of a recall just that WalMart couldn't get it.

[Maridsa]

Here is an update, I sent an email to the FDA about this recall and here is their response:

Information on the recall can be found at
http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/ENFORCE/2008/EN... .
The reason for the recall is "Inadequate documentation and in-process controls such
that product may not meet specifications through shelf life."

It is being classified as a Class II recall which means the products
might cause a temporary health problem, or pose only a slight threat of a serious nature. Example: a drug that is under-strength but that is not used to treat life-threatening situations.

I got a new RX from my Dr. for the generic Metropolol by Ethex, from what I hear from the pharmacists I asked, there is a big problem with the availability of "Toprol" in general, brand or generic so it will be interesting to see what happens next month when I try to refill this one. So far, no side effects with this one, I believe there was something with the Sandoz one b/c I had a chronic cough for over a month and as soon as I stopped it, it went away, my Dr. says it was not attributed to the drug but I doubt that, my cough and hoarseness just miraculously disappeared with my last dose of the Metropolol/Sandoz. Good luck!

[Maridsa]

I just read some of the more recent comments made prior to my update above, I had my new RX for Metr generic filled at CVS. CVS told me that the recall is for the brand Sandoz that Rite Aid and Walmart use mfg. by Sandoz and that the Ethex is still available and the only one so there is apparently a shortage of this generic. My Ins. company won't cover the brand but I heard that even the brand is in short supply. So, overall not sure what is going on either and I was not aware that there were severe side effects with the Ethex too, that I am now on b/c supposedly it is the only one available. CVS Pharmacy says there is not a recall on the Ethex, does anyone have info on that recall?

[Jim]

Like I said in my previous post, Ethex Metoprolol is not being recalled. After reading these posts it appears that there is some confusion in general about what is being recalled and what is in short supply.

I had problems with Ethex Metoprolol 100mg that I had filled in Nov 2007. Hopefully, Ethex has improved there Metoprolol. I would give it a chance, its a good sign that Ethex might be okay now since it has not been recalled.

[Che-Che]

I have been taking toprol xl 50 since 2002 and I
also was told by Rite Aid that it was recall. No
explanation was given. However, I have been experiencing tiredness, shortness of breath, sweats, and numbness in my arm. At times, my heart would race while I was sitting down. My doctor increased my water pill. This had been going on since last year. I attributed to the 10lbs I gained. Now I wonder.

[courtney]

my husband is on metoprolol xl and they told us it was recalled when we went to get his new script but noone can tell us why?

[jim]

I just found this news excerpt, that talks about this recall:

Rockville, MD (Dec. 3)—The US Food and Drug Administration announced a recall of 6.37 million bottles of Sandoz’s (Princeton, NJ) generic metoprolol succinate extended-release (XL) tablets due to inadequate documentation and in-process controls. All lots with expiry dates through August 2010 are being recalled, including 25- and 50-mg doses in 100- and 1,000-count bottles, and 100- and 200-mg doses in 100-count bottles.

[Kris W]

This is alarming!! I can not believe this is going on, with out media attention it deserves!
How is this classified as a Class II recall which means the products might cause a temporary health problem, or pose only a slight threat of a serious nature!! My boyfriend isn't taking this med for the fun of it, this is ridiculous!
Rite aid has not contacted my boyfriend at all on this topic and he has a bottle that they just filled of this recalled med.
When rite aid switched to the sandoz pill my boyfriend started having bad dreams, bloody noses, numbness in his arms and headaches! his explains all of that! Rite Aid has some real explaining to do!!

[Jim]

There are other manufacturers of Metoprolol besides Sandoz, like Ethex and Astra Zenica. Also, Sandoz may be supplying it now, because the recall only applied to certain lots of it.

[Kathy Long Island NY]

Tried to fill my prscription for metoprolol in November 2008 at Rite Aid and was told it was recalled. Paid full price for toprolol because insurance company does not cover a brand name drug if there is a generic. Tried to find info on the recall and had a difficult time. Glad to have found this site.

[Adam]

I have been taking Toprol XL and other substitutes for 2 years now via Rite Aid. After depleting my monthly supply, I went to obtain a refill. They told me (for the 3rd time in 12 months) that the medication had been changed AND recalled. The pills that I was taking (as the generic name escapes me at the moment) that just ran out looked about the same size/color/shape as a 325mg Asprin and had the letters "AMC" printed on one side. I picked up my "replacement" Rx and it was 2x's the size, oval, and had "369" printed on the side; it's called 'Metoprolol Succ ER 50mg Tab'.

This said, I began to take these pills, and but ~2 days later, my heart (Afib, or Afibrillation)was beating much more erratic much more intensely and more frequently. It's been nearly a week now and things have gotten worse. I'm going to contact my pharmacy for the original Toprol XL and HOPE for a positive change. Naturally, I'm worried about the increased chance for a stroke...

Anyone else with feedback, please post.

Sincerely,

-Adam (34 years old)

[Ben]

I work at Walgreens and we received an email from corporate today advising everyone that there is no "recall" in effect for Ethex-brand metoprolol succinate, but that the manufacturer (Ethex) has decided to stop marketing it and a couple of other products. Most Walgreens distribution centers and Cardinal Health are out of product. We are allowed to sell the remaining stock but then we have to transition patients to brand-name Toprol XL or contact the MD for an alternative.

[Adam]

Ben wrote:

I work at Walgreens and we received an email from corporate today advising everyone that there is no "recall" in effect for Ethex-brand metoprolol succinate, but that the manufacturer (Ethex) has decided to stop marketing it and a couple of other products. Most Walgreens distribution centers and Cardinal Health are out of product. We are allowed to sell the remaining stock but then we have to transition patients to brand-name Toprol XL or contact the MD for an alternative.

Ben, thanks for your post. By "stop marketing", do you mean 'stop selling/manufacturing' the drug altogether?
In your professional opinion, why do you think this is?
What is your role at Walgreens?

Thank you for taking the time and interest in helping shed light on some of these confusing issues.

Most sincerely,

-Adam

[Ben]

Adam wrote:

<quoted text>
Ben, thanks for your post. By "stop marketing", do you mean 'stop selling/manufacturing' the drug altogether?
In your professional opinion, why do you think this is?
What is your role at Walgreens?
Thank you for taking the time and interest in helping shed light on some of these confusing issues.
Most sincerely,
-Adam

I'm an intern. All that was said that Ethex had decided to stop production of all strengths of metoprolol succinate and oxycodone tablets. I can't venture a guess as to why the oxycodone was discontinued, but I can say that it's possible AstraZeneca (the branded manufacturer of Toprol XL) has threatened lawsuits regarding patents and Ethex decided that it was better-off exiting the market rather than face the wrath of AstraZeneca's legal department. I've seen it several times in the past couple of years. The first one I remember being pulled was the generic Plavix, which was on the market for a few months before Bristol-Meyers-Squibbs brought a lawsuit alleging patent infringement. And AstraZeneca a few weeks ago was able to eradicate the generic Pulmicort Respules from the market with the same tactics.

I can't say when the generic will be back, because no one seems to know. Walgreens said it was negotiating with Ethex and other manufacturers. But to reiterate, there has not been a recall.

[Jim]

Just found out that KV pharmaceutical has suspended all shipments of its FDA approved medicine in tablet form and this includes Metoprolol Succinate ER because of quality issues. This is Ethex Manufactured Metoprolol, the type I had problems with. These are some associated links:

KV pharma
http://www.kvph.com/news_center_article.aspx...

Consumer Labs
http://www.consumerlab.com/recalls.asp#Recall...

FDA
http://www.fda.gov/oc/po/firmrecalls/kv12_08....