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FDA: Pharmaceutical company voluntarily recalling thyroid medication

Posted at 5:15 PM, Aug 16, 2018
and last updated 2018-08-17 15:44:01-04

The FDA has announced that company Westminster Pharmaceuticals is voluntarily recalling some of its thyroid medication tablets. 

According to the FDA, the recall includes "all lots, within expiry, of Levothyroxine and Liothyronine (Thyroid Tablets, USP) 15 mg, 30 mg, 60 mg, 90 mg, & 120 mg to the wholesale level." 

The agency said on its website the recall is precautionary because the Chinese manufacturer responsible for some of the ingredients failed an FDA inspection. 

"To date, Westminster Pharmaceuticals has not received any reports of adverse events related to this product," the FDA said. 

Dimmy Sokhal, the Chief Clinical Officer at Hayat Pharmacy, said patients who think their medications are impacted by the recall should call their doctor and/or pharmacist as soon as possible. 

She said simply stopping to take the medications could have dangerous consequences. 

"That can lead to a situation where they need to be hospitalized and can even be life-threatening," Sokhal said. 

Ron Mroczenski, who had his thyroid removed due to cancer about 20 years ago and relies on medication to provide his body with synthetic hormones instead, said that's what he plans to do. 

"I'll definitely be contacting my pharmacy," he said. 

Mroczenski added the thyroid medication is crucial to keeping him healthy. 

"If I stop taking it for a month or two, I just get very lethargic and have no energy," he said.