More J&J recalls from Fort Washington plant

Johnson and Johnson has issued yet another round of recalls for drugs produced at its shuttered plant in Fort Washington, Montgomery County. The company is removing about 43 million bottles of certain Tylenol, Benadryl, Sinutab and Sudafed products from drugstore shelves.The company said the drugs were manufactured at the Fort Washington plant at a time when equipment may not have been properly cleaned, but said the inconsistencies in production have not led to problems with the medication’s effectiveness.  Johnson and Johnson said the recalls are a result of a thorough investigation of its products, meant to restore the company’s quality standards and consumer confidence. Some say the voluntary recalls are an effort to stave off further regulatory controls on the company. Last week, the state of Oregon filed suit against Johnson and Johnson for so-called “phantom recalls” in late 2009. The company hired contractors to buy back Motrin from drugstore shelves, in what Oregon contends was an effort to avoid the negative publicity of a formal recall. According to the FDA, the company recalled about 288 million packages or bottles of drugs in 2010. Johnson and Johnson says the recalled products are still safe to use and consumers don’t need to throw them out.