Recall Issued for Powdered Cold and Flu Medication Ahead of Winter Season

By Stephanie Downs

Yet another major recall has been issued amid the winter season. According to CTV News, several, generic brand cold and flu medications have been recalled in Canada due to potential health risks. The publication shared that all of the products associated with the recall were produced by CellChem Pharmaceuticals Inc. 

The associated products all come in pouches of dissolvable powder. Before the recall was issued, they were available for purchase over the counter by those 12 years of age and older. The products include Extra Strength Total Symptom Relief Sugar-Free, Hot Lemon Relief for Symptoms of Cold and Flu (Extra strength), Hot Lemon Relief for Symptoms of Cold and Flu (Regular strength), Night Time Total Extra Strength, and Total Flu. If you have taken any of these aforementioned products, Health Canada stated that you should contact your physician. Additionally, there are municipal and regional guidelines that you can follow in order to dispose of these products safely. 

Several of these products were already recalled back in September. This latest recall expands the list of the products affected by a reported lack of data on their shelf-life. CTV News also noted that these products have been listed under various store brands including Western Family, Biomedic, Life Brand, Rexall, and Pharmasave. The reason behind the recall seems to be twofold. Health Canada said that CellChem Pharmaceuticals Inc. was not able to "demonstrate that products remain safe and of good quality until the expiry date." 

Not only is there an issue surrounding the expiration dates for some of these products, but several of them also contain active ingredients that weren't listed on their labels. One of the more concerning additions was acetaminophen, with Health Canada warning that ingesting too much of it could prompt side effects including lethargy and nausea. This recall was issued amid a difficult time, as it comes in the middle of both flu season and a rise in COVID-19 cases around the world. This rise in COVID-19 cases has largely been prompted by the surge of the omicron variant, which is the most contagious variant of the coronavirus yet, per USA Today. The publication noted that it is twice as contagious as the delta variant and four times as contagious as the original coronavirus. The rise of this newest variant comes nearly two years after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, which took over the world in March 2020. 

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