Pfizer ($PFE) is recalling thousands of bottles of its anxiety drug Xanax, saying the drug may not be strong enough.
According to the most recent FDA Enforcement Report, New York-based Pfizer is recalling 21,120 bottles of Xanax for potentially being subpotent. The voluntary Class II recall was initiated at the end of September, the notice indicates. In an emailed statement, the company said that taking the product is not likely to cause any adverse health consequences.
"Pfizer has voluntarily recalled one lot of Xanax (alprazolam tablets, USP) 0.25 mg 100 count because stability testing yielded an out of specification result for potency at the 46 month stability testing time point," the statement said. "Pfizer places the utmost emphasis on patient safety and product quality at every step in the manufacturing and supply chain process."
Pfizer has been involved in a couple of other recalls this year, but they were not of its own making. Mylan ($MYL) in two recalls pulled from the market 15 lots of sterile injectable cancer drugs because they might have particulate in them. Nine of those lots were manufactured for Pfizer, including 7 lots of the cancer med gemcitabine and one lot each of methotrexate and cytarabine. In August the FDA hit three of Mylan's plants in India with a warning letter, including the facility where the cancer meds had been manufactured.
- here's the FDA notice