Asthma Inhaler Recall: GSK Says Nearly 600,000 May Have Defect

The famous British drugmaker GlaxoSmithKline Plc is recalling more than 593,000 Ventolin asthma inhalers from drug stores, clinics, wholesalers, and retailers in the United States. The recall is voluntary and does not represent an immediate danger or threat to patients using the inhaler. GSK started the recall because of bundling or packaging and leakage issues of the inhaler, which brings about giving lesser doses than it should.

GSK explained that it got a few complaints with respect to the inhaler's damage packaging and leakage, which incited the drugmaker to take this action. The outside wrapping of the inhaler was said to be swelling up. This was associated to be a sign of a leakage in the stimulator, which gives the medication.Three clumps of the Ventolin HFA 200D inhalers, which were fabricated at GSK's processing plant situated in North California's Zebulon, have been recalled.

The United States Food and Drug Administration acknowledged the recall proposition. The FDA marked the recall procedure Level 2. Juan Carlos, the representative of GSK expressed that the procedure may be applicable for the items in the United States, similar to the rule for Level 2 reviews, as per CNBC. As per the FDA, Level 2 recall shows that utilizing an item "may bring about impermanent or restoratively reversible unfriendly adverse health results or where the likelihood of serious adverse health is remote."

GSK confirmed that despite the fact that it is progressing in the direction of distinguishing the reason for the defects, the company still keeps on manufacturing the inhalers in its Zebulon plant."We at present don't expect a supply effect to Ventolin HFA 200D inhaler respectively of this issue," expressed GSK.

This is not the first time recall by GSK concerning its inhalers. Around 15 months back, the drugmaker recalled just about 13,000 inhalers. At the time, the company was concerned that a part of the inhalers may not contain enough propellant to give the 200 doses of medication, as guaranteed by the inhaler's label.

GSK, lately, has been producing more of its respiratory line of products. In 2016, the company made a 48,437-square-feet industrial facility in Ware, UK, worth $80.5 million. This was done to boost more products of Ellipta inhalers to almost 37 million consistently. In February this year, the drugmaker shared plans of opening a four-story office in Scotland. The $137 million production line or factory will be used to generate the API in Ventolin namely Salbutamol.