Excedrin Recall Issued for 433K Bottles Due to Poisoning Risk

Nearly half a million bottles of Excedrin are being recalled due a risk there may be puncture holes on the bottom, which may cause the pain medication to fall out and pose a child poisoning risk.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced the Excedrin recall on December 23, after determining certain bottles contain a puncture hole in the bottom, which may provide children with access to the pills.

The recall includes approximately 433,600 bottles of 50, 80, 100, 125, 200, 250 and 300-count bottles of Excedrin Migraine Caplets, Excedrin Migraine Geltabs, Excedrin Extra Strength Caplets, Excedrin PM Headache Caplets, and Excedrin Tension Headache Caplets manufactured in the United States by GSK Consumer Healthcare, of Warren, New Jersey.

The products were sold at pharmacies, department stores, grocery stores, and hypermarkets nationwide and online from March 2018 through September 2020 for between $7 and $18.

According to the recall notice, the products were packaged in plastic bottles that contains a child-resistant cap, which is required by law under the Poison Prevention Packaging Act (PPPA) for any products containing aspirin and acetaminophen. However, GSK has identified certain lots of the Excedrin medications may contain a hole in the bottom of the bottle, which could allow pills or tablets of the container to be accessible to children, increasing the risk of a poisoning event.

The reasoning for the puncture hole in the pill bottles was not disclosed in the recall notice, and no Excedrin poisoning events have been reported to date.

The manufacturer is instructing consumers to inspect the bottom of the bottle immediately to determine if there is a hole, and to place the bottles out of sight and reach from children.

Customers who have a hole in the bottom of a bottle are being instructed to contact GSK Consumer Relations at 800-468-7746 for information on how to receive a prepaid shipping label and full refund. Bottles that do not have a hole may be kept and used as directed.

More than 400,000 reports of children being exposed to household cleaners and medications are reported annually to U.S. Poison Control Centers, resulting in tens of thousands of emergency room visits.

Health experts always recommend consumers be vigilant in practicing safe storage habits for household chemicals and prescription or OTC medications by keeping them behind safety locks or up high and out of sight from children, so as not to entice them to climb on furniture.