Recall: Excedrin, NoDoz, Bufferin & Gas-X Prevention
Novartis Consumer Health Inc. Issues Voluntary Nationwide Recall Of Certain Over-The-Counter Products Due to Potential Presence of Foreign Tablets or Chipped or Broken Tablets or Gelcaps.
Novartis Consumer Health, Inc. (NCH) announced today that it is voluntarily recalling all lots of select bottle packaging configurations of Excedrin® and NoDoz® products with expiry dates of December 20, 2014 or earlier as well as Bufferin® and Gas-X Prevention® products with expiry dates of December 20, 2013 or earlier, in the United States. NCH is taking this action as a precautionary measure because the products may contain stray tablets, capsules, or caplets from other Novartis products, or contain broken or chipped tablets.
These over-the-counter products were distributed nationwide to wholesalers and retailers.
Consumers that have the product(s) being recalled should stop using the product(s) and contact the Novartis Consumer Relationship Center at 1-888-477-2403 (available Monday-Friday 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern Time) for information on how to return the affected products and receive a full refund. For more detailed information, consumers should visit Novartis’ website at www.novartisOTC.com. Consumers should contact their physician or healthcare provider if they have experienced any problems that may be related to taking or using these drug products.
Click here to read the whole article regarding the Novartis Consumer Health, Inc on the FDA’s website click here.
phew. 3/14 on mine. Thank you for the in depth post on this. I was just about to search for the entire info.
It says 12/14 or earlier so 3/14 isnt safe unfortunately.
I know you mentioned the ShopRite Excedrin deal this week for $1.79. Do you think if they have cleared the shelves due to the recall that they will offer rainchecks? I hope so. I really like the Excedrin Back and Body.
I liked Shoprite on Facebook, and they have a post up about it, so I assume they would have notified the stores to check the dates. But i would still make a note of the dates before purchasing! Oh wait no purchasing, more like taking them off there hands since they are FREE!
When I was at SR Customer Service yesterday, I noticed a little sign that they didn’t have stock and would be unable issue rain checks, as they didn’t know when they would recieve stock.
Sounds like Novartis and maybe Shoprite knew something before today’s announcement.
I’m on hold with them right now, because I have several bottles. I don’t know why they couldn’t have just posted the return instructions on their website.
Please let us know what they say! Thanks~
I just went to the site Cindy posted on here and there is a form to can print to return the products!!
They do have the return instructions as well as the form you can print out to return any items.
In my store this morning all Excedrin products were off the shelves including those that were not on sale. I did not ask however I am assuming it was due to the recall.
My Shoprite in Middletown NJ definitely had the recalled Excedrin for sale – i bought it yesterday!! UGH! now I have to go through the process of returning it to Novartis.
how annoying i have a stash of exedrin. thanks for posting this i saw it on the news this morning but forgot to look it up.
Am I reading this right? There could be stray tablets of nodoz in my excedrin? Does anyone know if shoprite is clearing all excedrin off the shelves? Or just affected dates? That could ruin my week. Wish I’d gone yesterday!
In my store this morning all Excedrin products were off the shelves including those that were not on sale. I did not ask however I am assuming it was due to the recall.
My shoprite DID have it, and it was the recalled products. I did that Freebie deal, and it seems there really is no such thing as FREE, since I have to send it back to them now.
The excedrin that I purchased from CVS back in December had borken pill in almos the whole bottle I was so mad !!!
My gelcaps that I bought in ShopRite a couple of months ago had the same thing! When I took one, it made me feel woozy so I stopped them. I didn’t call about them because I had always bought tablets and just thought it was my reaction to the delivery system (i.e., the gelcaps). Go figure.
UGH! All three bottles of my Excederin are 2013. Can’t reach the company, the line has been constantly busy
Here’s the form:
Fill out one form for every bottle
http://www.novartis-otc.com/otc/Novartis-OTC-Product-Return-Form.pdf
Ugh – I have 8 bottles!!
same here….this sucks!! im on hold w them now.
Thank you Nelle!
Thank you so much for this update. We have three of these and I am going to send in the form for the refund.
Does anyone know if we have to return the bottles, as well? It doesn’t state this on the form, and conveniently the Novatis phone line is busy and the website email page and Facebook comment section are down (very shady!!).
I’m thinking that you need to return the bottles. I have 8 altogether between Bufferin and Excedrin. The second page of the form says “You will be reimbursed for the suggested retail price of the returned product(s) plus $2.00 for shipping and handling.” It sure isn’t that clear, though.
@Mary: I don’t see a second page at the link provided. Am I missing something?
Return the bottle with the contents.
Can we send all bottles and forms in one package? Or do they all need to be sent separately?
One package is okay, just seperate forms.
Thank you Nelle for all your information
You can do it all in one package. She said I could put all bottles on an attached paper.
Have to send in bottles. they will reimburse for shipping like $50 or something she said (Lena started yelling and didnt hear her lol)
Not so clear on the website. Been tryign to get thru on the phone…did, heard the announcement then disconnected. I see from the other posts…use separate forms for each, place everything including bottles in the package and mail. Hopefully this is right?
FYI – site does say reimburse reasonable amount and $2 shipping. I assume that is $2 on each bottle?? Not clear
no it says if shipping is more than 2 than will reimburse you for what the shipping label
Can you recommend a reliable coupon clipping service????
Ive used coupondede.com and have had no problems.
I “bought” some at Shoprite yesterday, after giving part of my stockpile to my dad. Novartis HQ is in my town so the Shoprite down the road didn’t know about it last night. Will be sending my stockpile in after checking the dates
Can’t I just return these to the store(CVS) I purchased them from? I have my receipt.
You can do it all in one package. She said I could put all bottles on an attached paper.
Have to send in bottles. they will reimburse for shipping like $50 or something she said (Lena started yelling and didnt hear her lol)
When i was in my shoprite today,they told me to bring in my bottles next time im in and they would give me store credit.(I have 2 unopened bottles!
Just got off the phone with them and they did say that they will reimburse the $2 shipping for each bottle. so if you send in 10 that would be $20 plus the suggested retail price. Anyone know of what they would consider the suggested retail price?
I don’t know the full retail price but, since I paid nothing for my 6 bottles, I’m looking at a nice little profit.
Nice. I as well will like my profit since all of my bottles were free. Some retail stores are offering to take them back as well. I am just trying to find what is the better deal.
Just got off phone they said extra strenght is 4.59
I wonder if they will give us new coupons too…since I am sure some of us just used the $2/1 coupon at shop rite.
I’m thinking if they refund you the retail price, you should probably come out ahead–well, after the headache of filling out the forms and packing up the boxes, etc.
Yeah, my shelf was cleared, ShopRite took them all away and put up a sign citing the re-call. Kind of annoyed, so much for free Excedrin, I was all excited. I think that SR and Novartis are in cahoots with each other, just making stuff free to get us in and then nothing! Does anyone know if SR is offering rain checks? My CPN doesn’t expire until 31 JAN 2012.
i highly doubt stock will be properly replenished by then. theyre recalling a lot.
Does anyone know if it is on ALL excedrin? I have PM, Extra Strength, & Migraine. I have been trying to call the 1800# and have gotten a busy signal every time I call.
Yes, all of them.
Check this: http://www.fda.gov/downloads/Safety/Recalls/UCM286242.pdf
I’m glad I don’t use any of these.
I wish I were that lucky. Excedrin in about the only thing that takes away my headaches. So, I am not sure what I will do with none in the house!!
I get headaches as well but I usually take aleve or advil. Though sometimes the only thing that takes them away is laying done in a quiet place.
So Do I take back anything with a Ex Date be for 12/14?
Has anyone heard when the Excedrin was going to be back on the shelf? It is the only product that works on my headaches and I’m almost out.
It says certain sizes, Do you all know what size bottles? Or is it all size bottles?
Aw man! This sucks! I have 4 x 24 ct from Shoprite yesterday plus 7 x 8 cts from random CVS deals, plus a No Doz from old Rite Aid deal.
For those of you wanting to know exactly what bottles are affected, check this link from the FDA:
http://www.fda.gov/downloads/Safety/Recalls/UCM286242.pdf
Dont forget its not only Exedrin, but Gas-Ex and those others as well. I have some of those I had bought with coupons too.
What if you have bottles that are partly gone or almost empty??? I have several opened Extra Strength Excedrin 24-ct. from a CVS sale/ECB deal a month or so ago… only thing that really works for both my husband’s and my headaches so we keep a small bottle in the kitchen, bedroom, bathroom… I don’t really want to send them all back since I really like to have plenty on hand, but in the past I’ve found that the Target generic equivalent works great as well. Don’t really want to go to Target and actually PAY for pain reliever, but I guess if I send my Excedrin in hopefully they will send back a check that will more than cover the cost of the pills from Target!
Does anyone know when reimbursment will be given?
i have 10 bottles of Excedrin can I send them together or I have to mail them individually .It says shipping charges will be refunded too,but sending 10 bottles will cost more then $2 to mail?
As I work at shoprite and am a extreme couponer I can say that NO shoprite is not in cahoots with excederin. We did not know ahead of time. When we find out about a serious recall like this we do what ever necessary to keep everyone safe. If that means clearing the shelves so be it. I would rather someone scream at me that the shelf is empty than not see one of my customers because they took a free recalled pill
I am in my second month of couponing and I can say that i have saved a little more each time i shop…i brought 10 bottles of excedrin…this was great as i am allergic to everything else….I was very sad that i had to return them…anyway, i was able to return all bottles today at my shoprite….i had no problem….i definitely was refunded more than i actually paid for them after using coupons…..
does anyone know how long we will have to wait to get excedrin back on the market
How long is the recall?? I have a headache right now & it has excedrin written all over it!! Ugh
If you’re desperate and can’not wait for Excedrin to return to shelves, try e-bay! I ordered Excedrin Migrain off of there the other day. I get migrains often and Excedrin is the only thing that touches them.
Wow, a month gone by and still no excedrin on the shelves. I dont remember any recall taking this long to renew the stock. Safeway has no idea when they are getting any.
Did anyone get their reimbursement yet? I mailed mine in delivery confirmation on 16 Jan (delivered on 20 Jan), and still no rebate. I called and they said it should be “in the next batch of checks”, but it’s Feb 25th and still nothing…
Hi Melissa,
Glad to see your post. I too have not received anything yet and wondered if others have. I have not called but may if I don’t receive anything in the next two weeks.
Talk about timing. I received my check today. Only $2 for postage when I think it cost me $6 but I won’t complain as I used coupons for all I purchased and received full retail value. Nice little money maker!
Thanks for posting – I was just wondering what was going on with this. I sent in a ton of Exedrin and one NoDoz, but haven’t heard anything yet. I guess I’ll wait a few more days before I call them.
Just thought I’d share this. I spoke with Novartis today and they said that they have not even begun production again on the affected products and have no timeline for their return.
I just got off the phone with novartis and was told to call back in 10 business days because they don’t have any of the returned product info in the computers yet. She said if I call back then, they can tell me the status of my products I sent in. They better get with it.
And above Anonymous said she got her check. I was wondering how many you sent in and what you got back?
Just got off the phone with Novartis and now they’re saying none of these products will be back on the shelves until this summer.
THanks for posting this. I had a bottle for about 18 months, not affected by the recall, and used the last tablet a few weeks ago. I wish it would come back sooner because I’m taking twice as much of another pain reliever because of my headaches.
Why is everyone returning them? It was a voluntary recall. If you don’t want them mail them to me and I will pay you for them. The pills were either chipped or had a stray nodoz pill mixed in with them. Just don’t take the nodoz. It seems logical to me. I get tension headaches and I am dying without Excedrin. If I had known this I would have bought everything in sight.
I agree with Val. It was voluntary. If I had known, I would have bought every bottle of Bufferin in sight. As it is now, I am using up my daughter’s supply. I did just call Novartis, and the expected return to market date for Bufferin is mid year…..I am hoping for June…Nothing else works as well for my headaches and body pain without hurting my stomach!!
I’m 89 yrs old and have loved Excedrin Extra Strength for ALL aches and pains – read the paper every day and listen to all newscasts daily – had never heard of an Excedrin recall – was shocked to hear it the first time yesterday and discover I cannot replace my supply – notified my friends and family who were all equally shocked and surprised – rushed to th Internet to find I can get 100 tablets for $100 – this is almost like a death sentence – ha Surely the drug company can get it back on the market soon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I dont want them returned..I want them back! The only thing on the market that DOSNT have caffeine is the Excedrin Back and Body and the caffeine makes me ill. I really want the Back and Body back soon!