Pfizer Issues Nationwide Recall of Two Antidepressants After Alarming Report

The pharmaceutical company Pfizer Inc. announced yesterday that they are recalling three lots of two antidepressants due to an alarming pharmacist report that found a capsule of Tikosyn® in one of the pill bottles.

Pfizer hadn't received any other reports like this one, but they're taking a precaution and recalled one lot of 30-count Effexor XR 150 mg capsules, one lot of 90-count Effexor XR 150 mg, and one lot of 90-count Greenstone LLC-branded Venlafaxine HCl 150 mg. One capsule of Tikosyn was found in a bottle of Effexor XR, and if the drugs are taken together they can have harmful effects.

Tikosyn is a medicine for highly symptomatic atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter (otherwise known as irregular heartbeats). The combination of Effexor/Venlafaxine and Tikosyn could be fatal. The odds that Tikosyn was present in these bottles are very low, but Pfizer would rather not take the chance.

Effexor XR is a prescription antidepressant and is used to treat various disorders, including major depressive disorder, general anxiety disorder, and panic disorder. It has been prescribed to patients with such illnesses for over eight years. Effexor and Venlafaxine are distributed nationwide to wholesalers, government agencies, patient assistance programs, hospitals, and pharmacies.

Those companies that have the drugs in their inventory have been instructed to quarantine them and discontinue distribution. They are reportedly being notified by UPS next day mail as Pfizer is orchestrating the return of all of these drugs. Patients who are currently taking the medications have been suggested to contact their physician or return their supply to the pharmacy. Additionally, if patients have been experiencing any issues with these Effexor or Venlafaxine, they have been told to contact their healthcare provider.

If having experienced any problems, patients can report them to the FDA via a submission of this report. To read more about Pfizer Inc.'s drug recall, visit this Pfizer news release as well as this Yahoo! Finance article.