Health officials have issued an urgent recall of a commonly prescribed antidepressant after a patient discovered the wrong medication inside their sealed pack. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) announced that UK-based pharmaceutical company Amarox is recalling a specific batch of Sertraline 100mg film-coated tablets following the error.
A patient taking Sertraline found a strip of Citalopram, another type of antidepressant, inside the sealed carton. Both medications are manufactured by the same company at the same site, and the mix-up is believed to have occurred during the secondary packaging process when blister strips were placed into cartons.
Patient Warning
Patients who believe they have accidentally taken Citalopram 40mg tablets instead of Sertraline, or who are experiencing any side effects, are advised to seek medical advice immediately. Common side effects of Citalopram may include nausea, headaches, changes in sleep patterns, and anxiety.
Pharmacists have been instructed to stop supplying the affected batch and to contact any patients who may have received the incorrect medication.
How to Identify the Affected Batch
Dr Alison Cave, MHRA Chief Safety Officer, said: “If you have been prescribed Sertraline 100mg tablets and have received batch number V2500425, please check the carton contains the right medication. You can find the batch number and expiry date printed on the side of the outer packaging. If the blister strips inside the carton are labelled Citalopram 40mg, please contact your pharmacy as soon as possible. If they are labelled Sertraline 100mg, no further action is needed.”
The recall comes as a precautionary measure to ensure patient safety. In 2019, over 16.7 million prescriptions for Sertraline were issued by GPs in England, according to a study.
