News story: Voluntary recall of USA-manufactured homeopathic products: check for affected products
The USA Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently alerted consumers and healthcare professionals to the voluntary recall by HelloLife Inc.
While the products, manufactured in the USA by King Bio Inc., are not licensed for use in the UK and are not known to be available in UK outlets, they were distributed worldwide and may be advertised on online shopping or pharmacy websites and available to UK consumers.
The products affected are Neuroveen, Respitrol, Thyroveev and Compulsin. See the FDA alert for further details, including information about the specific contaminating organisms. According to HelloLife Inc, Neuroveen was tested and found to be contaminated with Staphylococcus saprophyticus and Burkholderia cepacia. Compulsin was tested and found to be contaminated with Burkholderia cepacia. Respitrol and Thyroveev are still pending bacterial identification.
People are advised to check if they have any of the batches thought to be affected, which are listed below. The products can be identified by the main label on the bottle and the lot number that is printed on the label.
HelloLife Inc. is advising consumers to stop using the affected products immediately. If you have taken any of these products and feel unwell, consult your doctor as soon as possible.
| Product | Indication | National Drug Code | Universal product code | Lot/Batch | Expiry date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Neuroveen | Natural temporary relief for nerve pain symptoms | 49726-015-02 | 891129002804 | NV/030717D | 07/19 |
| Respitrol | Natural temporary relief for respiratory symptoms | 49726-003-02 | 891129002729 | RE/030717E | 07/19 |
| Thyroveev | Natural temporary relief for sluggish thyroid symptoms | 49726-025-02 | 349726000063 | TVV/030717F | 07/19 |
| Compulsin | Nervous, repetitive thought/behaviour relief | 49726-034-02 | 891129002194 | CO/030717B | 07/19 |
The voluntary recall of these products is part of a wider recall of a number of products manufactured in the USA by King Bio Inc. due to possible microbial contamination. A complete list of recalled products can be found in the FDA alert. People who think they may have used any products manufactured by King Bio Inc. should check this list.
Anyone who has bought unlicensed homeopathic products online should not use them and return them to your pharmacy for disposal.
MHRA advises members of the public not to buy unlicensed medicines online and has launched a campaign to help people safely purchase medicines via the internet. Read our eight top tips for buying medicines and devices safely online.