Lipitor Recall Extended

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NEW YORK (GaeaTimes.com)- Drug manufacturer Pfizer Inc. has extended its recall of the cholesterol drug Lipitor after it received additional complaint from consumers regarding an uncharacteristic odor that has been found in the bottles containing the medicine. The fact that the drug developer intends to broaden its recall of the cholesterol drug is the fourth time that Lipitor has to encounter the move by Pfizer Inc. over similar complaints of foul odors in the drug bottles since the month of August this year. Lipitor is considered to be one of the best-selling prescription drug all over United States while it boasted of a staggering $7.5 billion in 2009.

While revealing details of the broadening of the Lipitor recall, drug developer Pfizer Inc. said in a statement that the company received the supply of the bottles from an outside manufacturer although the identity of the latter has been kept under the wraps. It has been reported that the musty odor which resulted in the recent recall is similar to the earlier ones in which the prime reason was cited to be the chemical 2,4,6-tribromoanisole, which is known for its usage as a wood preservative.

Experts have revealed that the chemical 2,4,6-tribromoanisole is used in pallets that are often utilized to store products during transportation although the drug developer has emphasized that it bars the use of the chemical during transportation of medicines. The successive recalls of Lipitor is the last few months has resulted in 360,000 bottles of the medicine going off the shelves owing to the odor issue. However, Pfizer Inc. has stressed that the despite the recalls, the supply of the drug would not be affected.