Select bottles of medicines made by Novartis, including Excedrin, NoDoz, Bufferin and Gas-X Prevention, are being recalled because the bottles may contain stray tablets, capsules or caplets from other medicines, or contain broken or chipped tablets.

The full list of recalled medicines can be found on the FDA website.  It includes Excedrin and NoDoz products with expiry dates of December 20, 2014 or earlier as well as Bufferin and Gas-X Prevention products with expiry dates of December 20, 2013 or earlier, in the United States.

Mixing different products in the same bottle could result in consumers taking the incorrect product and receiving a higher or lower strength than intended or receiving an unintended ingredient. This could potentially result in overdose, interaction with other medications a consumer may be taking, or an allergic reaction if the consumer is allergic to the unintended ingredient. Novartis is not aware of any adverse reactions associated with this recall.

The medicines were distributed nationwide to wholesalers and retails. All the affected products are sold over-the-counter. Excedrin and Bufferin are used to treat aches and pains, Gas-X is used to reduce symptoms of gas, and NoDoz is used for energy and wakefulness.

All pills in a bottle of medicine should look the same. If any pill looks different, the entire bottle should be taken to the pharmacist for inspection and not be used. Consumers in possession of the recalled medicines should stop using them immediately and contact the Novartis Consumer Relationship Center at 1-888-477-2403 for information on how to return the medicine and receive a full refund.

Any side effects with these or any other medications should be reported to the FDA MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting Program at www.FDA.gov/MedWatch/Report.htm.

Source: Novartis