Urgent Recall After Valium Tablets Tampered With

Police are involved


Article heading image for Urgent Recall After Valium Tablets Tampered With

Pic: 5mg Valium tablets

Evidence of medicine tampering has lead to a massive national recall of Valium tablets. 

It's after some sheets of the drug were apparently stolen and swapped out for other medications including Codeine, Rosuvastatin (a cholesterol medication), Pantoprazole (a tablet which decreases levels of stomach acid). 

The pill manufacturer, Roche Australia, has told consumer group CHOICE the tampering happened after the medicines left the Roche warehouse, for the distribution company. 

"Specifically, there may be missing foil blisters of Valium or substitution of the foil blisters with other medicines within the packs,"

"There are no product quality concerns with individual Valium tablets."

"This matter has been reported to police."

The Therapeutic Goods Administration says people with tampered batches could take the wrong medicine, which may "have serious health consequences".

Valium is highly addictive, they said, particularly when compared to the medications with which it has been swapped.

Valium contains the active ingredient Diazepam. It is used to treat anxiety disorders, alcohol withdrawal symptoms and muscle spasms.

The recall applies specifically to the 5mg batches of tablets - they're the yellow ones.

On top of that, Product Safety Australia is also recalling Paracetamol CodeineRosuvastatin 10mg tablets and Pantoprazole 40mg tablets because the packets may not contain the correct number of tablets. 

Patients are being advised to return their medication – whether used or new – to the place of purchase, where they will be offered generic equivalent.

For more information on recalls, visit recalls.gov.au 

Claire Sherwood

30 May 2017

Article by:

Claire Sherwood




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