Abbott recalls stinking antiplatelet drugs

MANILA, Philippines—After Abbott Laboratories received a complaint from the Malaysian market that a specific batch of Trifusal 300 milligram capsules, a kind of antiplatelet drug, emitted “bad smell,” the drug company’s officials in the Philippines would initiate a “voluntary recall” of the medicines.

According to the Department of Health, Abbott would recall batch no. H003 which was part of batch number HOO5 that was shipped to Malaysia.

In an investigation, the batch was found to have increased levels of impurity known as HTB, 4-trifluoromethylsalicylic acid.

It said that the increase, and the bad smell, was related to a damage of the refrigeration system of the equipment that was used in the manufacturing process of the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API), the DOH said.

DOH advised local pharmacies to “locate and remove” the affected batch from their stores and that the consumers should return, if they have bought, the medicines to the drug store where it was purchased.