Kotex Tampon Recall Issued Following Reports Of Infections, Need For Medical Removal

Following reports that certain Kotex tampons are unraveling or coming apart inside of women, resulting in infections, hospitalizations and serious injuries, a nationwide recall has been issued by the manufacturer.

A U By Kotex Sleek Tampon recall was announced this week, impacting products manufactured by Kimberly-Clark between October 7, 2016 and October 23, 2018.

The action was taken following reports of problems where the tampons came apart while in place, or while being removed. In some cases, the issues resulted in users requiring medical attention to remove the tampon or pieces that were left inside their body. Some users also reported experiencing infections, vaginal irritation, localized vaginal injury, and other more serious symptoms.

Kimberly-Clark indicated the recall was a quality related defect that could impact the performance of the product.

The tampons are sold in various size boxes, including 3 count, 18 count, 34 count, and 34 count multipacks. The recall includes products manufactured by Kimberly-Clark, and sold in both the United States and Canada.

Consumers can look on the bottom of the package for the lot number to identify if the product they purchased is affected by the recall. A full list of recalled lot numbers is available on the Kotex website and in the recall notice.

Kimberly-Clark has alerted retailers to the problem and called for them to remove the recalled products from store shelves and post a notification in their stores.

Consumers experiencing vaginal pain, bleeding, discomfort, irritation, itching, swelling, bladder infections, bacterial or yeast infections, or other symptoms such as hot flashes, abdominal pain, nausea, or vomiting after using the tampons should seek medical attention immediately.

The FDA recommends consumers stop using the product immediately and contact Kimberly-Clark’s Consumer Service team at 1-888-255-3499.

Adverse events involving the product should be reported to the FDA’s MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting Program.