Are tainted Johnson and Johnson products in Belize?

Johnson and Johnson Company is one of the most trusted manufacturers of over the counter medications. But the company has announced a massive recall of popular meds including Tylenol and Benadryl. This has caused a stir in the international media as Johnson and Johnson has placed the blame on the pallet industry, claiming that the products were contaminated by improperly treated pallets during shipping. Locally, the Ministry of Health has started inspections just in case the tainted products, which the company ships to the Americas, the United Arab Emirates, and Fiji, made their way to Belize. News Five contacted senior public health inspector, John Bodden to find out what products to look out for and what effects they can have if consumed.

Via Phone: John Bodden, Senior Public Health Inspector, Ministry of Health

“There are five products from the Johnson and Johnson company that are on the recall currently. It’s Benadryl, St. Joseph Safety Coated Aspirin, Tylenol, Motrin and Rolaids.”

Delahnie Bain

“Why are these products being recalled?”

Via Phone: John Bodden

“They have been contaminated with 2,4,6 tribromoanisole, which is basically a chemical that is used to treat pallets. Consumers that have consumed these products have claimed that they have stomach pain, vomiting and diarrhea, which basically are normally temporary and non-serious gastrointenstinal events. Nonetheless, if they are tainted with some kind of chemical then obviously it is not for human consumption and as such, the Johnson and Johnson Company decided to do a voluntary recall on those products. People can actually recognize the products if they are not good by basically it would have a moldy or musty odor to it and then if you consume it you would present those symptoms; stomach pain, vomiting and diarrhea. So we are urging the general public to not take the medication if they find them to have this musty odor. So that is the position right now. The Ministry of Health has responded by conducting a national inspection countrywide starting in all the districts and we’re looking at the pharmaceutical suppliers, pharmacies and medical institutions that might have this in their possession.”

Delahnie Bain

“How would the store owners be able to identify the products without having to open them?”

Via Phone: John Bodden

“There is a batch number on every batch that is produced by the company and that is usually placed on the box or on the product itself. So they can actually look at it and verify whether that is one of the products that come from the tainted batch.”

Johnson and Johnson Company has not said that the products were sent to Belize, but because local pharmacies import from several sources, the precautions are still required. Since the start of the countrywide inspection, none of the tainted products have been reported as yet.