RELATED: If You Use This Medication, Stop Immediately, FDA Says. In a notice posted on Dec. 30, the FDA announced that Taro Pharmaceuticals had voluntarily recalled one lot of Clobetasol Propionate Ointment USP, 0.05 percent, which is a prescription topical ointment used to treat swelling, itching, and irritation of the skin caused by psoriasis, eczema, and contact dermatitis. The consumer-level item comes packaged in 60-gram tubes. The recall is limited only to tubes labeled with the lot number “AC13786” and the expiration date “Dec 2022,” which are both stamped at the bottom of the tube and on the end flap of the product’s carton. The company specified that no other lots of this product are impacted. According to the notice, the voluntary recall was issued when routine testing detected the presence of Ralstonia pickettii bacteria in the products. The FDA states that the bacteria is found in the natural environment in both soil and water. But while most healthy individuals without cuts or open skin are relatively unaffected by it, people who are immunocompromised or have open wounds or lesions could be at risk of infection due to the medication’s use of a corticosteroid component that increases absorption. According to the agency, “if this bacterium is circulating in the human bloodstream, it can cause life-threatening, invasive infections such sepsis, pneumonia, meningitis, inflammation of the bone or bone marrow, and infection in the joint fluid and joint tissues.”
RELATED: For more up-to-date information, sign up for our daily newsletter. Fortunately, the notice states that no adverse effects from the use of the recalled products have been reported yet, which were distributed to two wholesale companies in the U.S. between Nov. 16 and Dec. 6, 2021. Nevertheless, the agency urges anyone who believes they may be experiencing a problem due to using the topical medication to contact their doctor or healthcare provider immediately. According to the FDA notice, customers who are unsure if products in their possession are affected by the recall can contact Taro Pharmaceuticals directly with their questions by calling 1-866-923-4914 on weekdays between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. CST. The company can also be reached by e-mail at [email protected]ae0fcc31ae342fd3a1346ebb1f342fcb RELATED: If You Take This Common Medication, Call Your Doctor Now, FDA Warns.
