Following reports of a musty odor, Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals, a Johnson and Johnson company, issued a recall of its Risperdal and risperidone medications. The drugs, which are used to treat schizophrenia and other forms of psychosis, are the newest additions to the growing list of various products that have been recalled by J&J and its subsidiaries.

This latest recall includes approximately 16,000 bottles of brand-name Risperdal in 3-millgram tablets and about 24,000 bottles of its generic, risperidone in 2-milligram tablets. The lots in question were sold between August 27, 2010 and February 15, 2011. Ortho-McNeil-Janssen believes that only 1,600 bottles of the recalled Risperdal and 1,200 bottles of the recalled risperidone are still on the market.

The uncharacteristic odor associated with the drugs was caused by TBA, a breakdown byproduct of a chemical preservative used in wood storage pallets. As a result, J&J is taking strides to get suppliers to stop using pallets with chemically treated wood.

Ortho-McNeil-Janssen said that patients currently taking the drug should not stop doing so, and those who do smell an uncharacteristic odor should return the tablets to their pharmacist and contact their doctor with any additional questions.