More than 80,000 packs of a common antidepressant have been recalled across the UK after a patient discovered the wrong medication inside a sealed carton. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) issued the urgent recall following the mix-up.
The affected product is Sertraline 100mg film-coated tablets, batch number V2500425. A patient found that one pack contained a blister strip of Citalopram 40mg film-coated tablets, another type of antidepressant. Both are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) used to treat depression and anxiety disorders.
The MHRA is urging anyone prescribed Sertraline to check the batch number and expiry date on the side of their medication's outer packaging. The total batch size is 81,872 packs. If the blister strips inside are labelled Citalopram 40mg, patients should contact their pharmacy immediately. If labelled Sertraline 100mg, no further action is needed.
Dr Alison Cave, MHRA Chief Safety Officer, said patients who have accidentally taken Citalopram instead of or alongside Sertraline may experience heightened serotonergic side effects such as nausea, headache, sleep changes, and mild anxiety. Anyone experiencing side effects should seek medical attention promptly.
Pharmaceutical company Amarox Limited said the recall is a precautionary measure due to a manufacturing error that occurred during secondary packaging of blister strips into cartons. Both medications are produced by the same manufacturer at the same site.
