The LA Times reports that 57,000 bottles of the anti seizure drug Topamax has been recalled due to an “uncharacteristic odor.” The smell is thought be caused by TBA, a chemical used in treating wood and may have come from the wood pallets used in shipping and storage. Last December, Pfizer recalled a lot of Lipitor for the exact same problem.
“Such contamination creates the smell but leads to only “minimal health risks,” the FDA says, adding that a few patients reported gastrointestinal symptoms.”
In the meantime, the FDA has recommended drug manufacturers not store medications near wood treated with this preservative.
