No kids' medicine recall for NZ

Over-the-counter children's medicines including cough drops and liquid paracetamol have been recalled in several Pacific countries by a Johnson & Johnson unit.

The company said the medicines might contain metal specks and excess amounts of active ingredients, and advised that parents and caregivers should not give them to children.

McNeil Consumer Healthcare, part of Johnson & Johnson, announced it was undertaking the recall voluntarily after it found the products could fail quality standards. It reached the decision after consulting with the United States Food and Drug Administration.

The company is pulling more than 40 affected products off the shelves.

"While the potential for serious medical events is remote, the company advises consumers who have purchased these recalled products to discontinue use," the company said in a statement.

It was assessing its manufacturing operations and would take "corrective actions" before restarting production, it said.

The recalled products are children's Benadryl, Tylenol, Mortin and Zyrtec (full list below), in Fiji, Guam, the United States, Canada, Dominican Republic, Dubai (UAE), Guatemala, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Panama, Trinidad & Tobago, and Kuwait.

Johnson & Johnson New Zealand and Australia spokesman Nick Campbell said: "There are no products in New Zealand affected by this voluntary recall as they are not sourced from the particular manufacturing plant."

- NZ HERALD STAFF