Perrigo issues medication recall for albuterol inhaler and FDA provides guidance on continued use

September 24, 2020 · Clinical Team

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that Perrigo Pharmaceutical Company issued a voluntary recall for all unexpired albuterol sulfate inhalation aerosol to the retail level. The September 21, 2020 recall announcement was issued due to the potential clogging of the inhaler, which could result in health risks to patients if they do not receive enough or any medication when using the inhaler.

Albuterol inhaler is used to open the airways to treat asthma and other respiratory conditions, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Albuterol inhaler should be used on an as needed basis.

The FDA urges patients to continue to use the inhaler they have on hand and reminds health care professionals and patients that albuterol inhalers are available through other manufacturers.

According to the FDA, patients should:

Seek emergency care immediately if needed;
Use the Perrigo inhaler they have on hand, as needed and as directed by a doctor;
Have an extra inhaler or an alternative treatment available in case of malfunction, as some of these recalled inhalers stop working after several uses; and
Contact their health care professional or pharmacist with questions.

To date, Perrigo has received several thousand complaints related to clogging and failure to dispense enough medication. Because of this, the manufacturer of Perrigo’s albuterol inhaler – Catalent Pharma Solutions – stopped producing and distributing these inhalers on August 21, 2020 and continues to investigate the malfunction.

If you have any questions, please contact your account manager, clinical liaison or our Clinical Services team at 1-877-275-7674 ext. 8612.

Sources:

1. U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). FDA Alerts of Perrigo’s voluntary albuterol inhaler recall. Drug Safety and Availability. September 21, 2020. Available at https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-safety-and-availability/fda-alerts-perrigos-voluntary-albuterol-inhaler-recall.

2. Perrigo Company plc. Perrigo Voluntarily Recalls Albuterol Sulfate Inhalation Aerosol; Reaffirms 2020 Guidance. Press release. September 17, 2020. Available at https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/perrigo-voluntarily-recalls-albuterol-sulfate-inhalation-aerosol-reaffirms-2020-guidance-301133148.html.

Perrigo issues medication recall for albuterol inhaler and FDA provides guidance on continued use

Sources:

1. U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). FDA Alerts of Perrigo’s voluntary albuterol inhaler recall. Drug Safety and Availability. September 21, 2020. Available at https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-safety-and-availability/fda-alerts-perrigos-voluntary-albuterol-inhaler-recall​.

1. U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). FDA Alerts of Perrigo’s voluntary albuterol inhaler recall. Drug Safety and Availability. September 21, 2020. Available at https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-safety-and-availability/fda-alerts-perrigos-voluntary-albuterol-inhaler-recall.