Qatar health ministry withdraws children’s Advil over safety concerns

Photo for illustrative purposes only.
Photo for illustrative purposes only.

The Ministry of Public Health (MPH) has pulled batches of Advil liquid products off of pharmacy shelves in Qatar at the urging of the manufacturer.

In a statement released to local newspapers, the MPH said that inspectors had withdrawn all of the affected stock from private and public healthcare providers as a precautionary measure due to an issue with the viscosity of the product.

It added that it “all types of other drugs are closely monitored through testing random samples at MPH laboratories to ensure their safety.”

‘Clumps’ of medicine

Advil manufacturer Pfizer has also recalled the product in Canada.

In a statement there, it said that it was withdrawing some batches of its liquid products for infants and children “because of a potential risk of inconsistencies in dosing of the product.”

The products include Advil Pediatric Drops, Children’s Advil Cold, Children’s Advil Fever from Colds or Flu, Children’s Advil and Advil Pediatric Drops Fever from Colds or Flu, CBC reports.

The Pfizer statement continued:

“’Clumps’ of Ibuprofen may form in the bottle and lead to higher or lower doses that are given to infants and children if it is not shaken well before each use.

Lower doses may not be adequate in reducing the fever, leading to other health issues which could include, in rare instances, convulsions. Although unlikely, higher doses may lead to vomiting, drowsiness, dizziness, ‘ringing in the ears’ and decreased breathing rates.”

The MPH identified the batch number in question as “J89260 of Advil Suspension 100mg/5ml, 100ml.”

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