BREAKING: Recall of Excedrin, NoDoz, Gas-X and Bufferin
JANUARY 8, 2012 – Novartis Consumer Health (NCH) is voluntarily recalling all selected bottle sizes of Excedrin and NoDoz products with expiration dates of December 20, 2014 or earlier as well as Bufferin and Gas-X Prevention products with expiration dates of December 20, 2013 or earlier, in the United States. What’s the reason? Because the products may contain stray tablets, capsules, or caplets from other Novartis products, or contain broken or chipped tablets.
Here are the full recall details:
- Excedrin Recall 2012 (click links on left for exact products recalled details)
- NoDoz Recall 2012
- Bufferin Recall 2012
- Gas-X Recall 2012
This is huge for couponers because many of these products released coupons quite often. I just found a bottle of Excedrin Extra Strength with an expiration date of February 13 in my medical drawer, so please check check check because I know many of you may have these products. And spread the word by sharing this post!
How to get a refund on your recalled products?
If you have any of the products stated, make sure to contact the Novartis Consumer Relationship Center at 1-888-477-2403 (available Monday-Friday 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern Time) for information on how to return the affected products and receive reimbursement. You may also get a refund via mail by fill out out this Refund Form.
(thanks @AP, @Kristi, @Lauralee and to my mom for informing me)
Comments on this entry are closed.
I have around 10 bottles of Excedrin… most with an expiration date of July 2013. Is this part of the recall and do I have to mail in 10 separate forms??
I have 3 bottles of Excedrin right now, they all fall under the recall. Do I need to send 3 separate forms?
Laquita Shelton
Let me know if you get a hold of them at the 888 phone number. I’m trying to get through with no luck
I wish I had one of those bottles. I love Excedrins, they are the only thing that works on my headaches. Needless to say I have been walking around with a headache for days. I am ready to cry! This morning I lifted up the toaster oven and found three pills, I was so happy you would have thought I won the lotttery. Tomorrow I am moving the refridgerator to see if there are any pills behind there. I need help!
In the same boat as Dayna above and I’m wondering the same thing. I tried calling the # several times now. Busy signal.
Has anyone gotten through to find out what we need to do…i.e. – send just the form, send separate form for each bottle, send the pills or throw away, etc?
Thanks!!
i would assume you have to do one for each product since they have different ID numbers and all that stuff…
Hi I have 6 Bottle and dont know if I supposed to fill out form for each one so I did. But dont know what the NDC number is. Does anyone know Thanks
I found out what NDC number is Its the UPC code
Ndc number is not the UPC code…they are two different things. see Danas last comment she tells you how to find NDC on the bottle
The return form that I printed this morning from the Norvis website does not ask for an NDC number, it asks for the UPC, Lot # & Expiry Date. I wonder if they changed it since so many people don’t have the NCD number if the outer package has been discarded.
do you have to send in the unused product? or just the paperwork?
Hey y’all, I had the same question about whether to send the product or just the form, and Novartis says under the Excedrin FAQ:
“Novartis Consumer Health advises consumers who have purchased these recalled products to discontinue use and return them to Novartis Consumer Health for a full refund.”
They will reimburse you $2 for shipping and handling so just send it parcel post and you should be fine. And this is a lot easier on us than trying to figure out how to dispose of these safely. It’s really not a good idea to flush drugs down the toilet or send them to the landfill. Novartis will be better-equipped than we are to get rid of them safely.
The NDC number is the National Drug Code number. Google “Excedrin NDC number” and you will find it. I don’t see it on the bottle–it might have been on the box but we’ve long since thrown that away.
Hope this helps someone.
Oh wait! Just Googling might not help. For Excedrin, go here:
https://www.drugs.com/pro/excedrin-migraine-drug-facts.html
And search on that site for the other drugs too. If you scroll down they will explain which type of packaging goes with which NDC number.
OK, let’s try this one more time. I’m filling out the form now (you can just print out the form and send the whole shebang in) and the form says the NDC number is located on the label above the brand name. I feel really dumb now. 🙁
The NDC # is very small in the upper right corner of the front of the label above the “rim” in Excedrin. It says something like NDC 0067-2039-24
I printed the form and dont see anything about NPC code anywhere on it.
Are we to be reimbursed $2 for postage for each bottle or just $2 for all of them if we send several? I have at least 10 to send in. Not sure its worth sending them in if not going to be reimbursed more than $2 for the postage.
I called this morning and got through to someone. A few things that might help (although they are somewhat specific to Excedrin).
1. You need to fill out a form for EACH bottle you are sending in, but they can be shipped together.
2. If you still have the box the meds came in, the NDC code (which is on the form with the lot number and such) is embedded in the UPC code. Ignore the small “3” and use the next eight numbers. The NDC is an eight-digit code, and it’s different for the different types of Excedrin (extra strength, migraine, etc) and the type of pill (caplet, tablet, gel cap). For example, my Excedrin extra-strength caplet NDC code is 0067 6270. If you do not have the box, most bottles have the NDC code printed in very tiny print on the label, just above the end of the main “Excedrin” print.
3. I don’t know for sure if the shipping and handling reimbursement is $2 per bottle or $2 overall, but I think it’s per bottle. And, of course, you get the full price of the bottle. I had stocked up a few weeks ago, so I did all the paperwork and then I took a picture of everything before I sent it in, just to be sure.
Hope that helps!
Thanks so much for taking your time and sharing these! It is a huge help. 🙂
Thanks Ladies for the help. So glad you got through Alisa!!
And don’t forget to make copies of everything you send back to them. I’m adding Delivery Confirmation to my package as I coupon alot and have about 20 bottles to send back. Also, take a photo of all the box containing bottles/boxes.
Have a happy day everyone. And thank you for all the info here – it’s made this recall alot easier to handle.
Good idea Nancy. I also have 20 bottles to return. Most are the 8 count. I am going to print out the form, fill out the info that will be the same on each, then copy to make the process a little quicker.
Here’s the link for a list of the specific lot numbers being recalled
https://www.eby-brown.com/sites/default/files/u3/ExcedrinRecall.pdf
My lot numbers aren’t on there. Should I still send it back or are they specific to this list?
I just spoke with my pharmacist, who provided all the info. Apparently, the link I posted was incomplete. But, as long as the tablets or caplets have the “E’ logo and are not broken, they are safe to take, if you have a bottle at home. The recall was because of a slight chance that other pills were in the bottle. I already finished a bottle that was recalled and I am still here.
I concur– take a photo before sending. Also, it makes sense to me that they’d reimburse $2 per bottle as the weight increased proportionally as bottles are added. I wouldn’t worry about this; it seems like a no-brainer to me (though they should have been thorough and answered the question up-front).
Here’s a link to find NDC #’s on the FDA’s website. I think it’s for retailers, but may help us: https://www.fda.gov/downloads/Safety/Recalls/ucm286242.pdf
Hope this helps you alll,
Julie
Does anyone know how long the refund should take?
Does the Excedrin have to be in these lot numbers? It’s not all Excedrin correct?
Just got off phone- I was told to mail all bottles of excedrin in with exp before 12/14. One refund form per bottle, mail all together, you will be reimbursed $2 per bottle shipping. No receipts are needed. Any bottle that has any pillsin it- return. All types of excedrin are being recalled.
there isn’t anything wrong what excedrin i have a migraine now i didn’t no they had recall and when i have migraine that what i take