A US-wide recall has been issued for a specific batch of Xanax, a commonly prescribed medication used to treat anxiety, according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
The recall affects 3-milligram extended-release tablets distributed by Viatris, which were initially pulled on March 17 before being expanded nationwide on April 15.
The affected tablets, marked as part of lot number 8177156, were recalled after failing quality standards related to how the drug dissolves. Patients who have the impacted lot are advised to stop using the medication and dispose of it properly.
Lately, recalls like this have become increasingly common. But what does a product recall mean, exactly? Essentially, a recall is a request from a manufacturer to return a product after the discovery of safety issues or defects that might endanger consumers or expose companies to legal risk. And the practice is nothing new. Cars, for example, were being withdrawn from the market as early as 1973 in order for modifications to be carried out. Since then, thousands of different products have been subject to withdrawal and even outright bans.
Intrigued? Click through and discover the goods that fell victim to a total recall.