McNeil Consumer Healthcare recalled millions of bottles of its children’s medicine in 2010 after manufacturing defects were found at a Pennsylvania plant.
The company, a Johnson & Johnson subsidiary, recalled Children’s Tylenol and other pediatric medicines made at its Fort Washington, Pennsylvania, facility. Regulators found problems including equipment failures, contamination risks, incorrect ingredients, and products that did not meet quality specifications.
The recall expanded in several stages and affected millions of packages. The Fort Washington plant was shut down, and the company worked with regulators to improve manufacturing controls before resuming production. The action followed earlier recalls involving odor complaints and adult medicines.
The event is often described simply as a Tylenol recall, but McNeil was the manufacturer responsible for the facility and product quality. It also differs from the 1982 criminal tampering case, which involved cyanide added after manufacture.