Over 50 Adult Medicines Have Been Recalled For Contamination

Homeopathic medicine company King Bio voluntarily recalled 32 various children and infant medications on Aug. 22 citing a microbial contamination, The U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) announced to its website. And less than one week after the concerning announcement, on Aug. 27 King Bio recalled over 50 adult medicines used to treat acne, asthmas, and allergies due to contamination fears, NBC New York reported on Monday. Although the expanded recall is worrisome, it's important to note there are no reported illnesses at this time. Additionally, here's how you can best protect yourself and your family amid this recall. King Bio did not immediately respond to Romper’s request for comment.

Although North Carolina-based company King Bio claims its recalls on Aug. 22 and Aug. 27 occurred due to "water-purity issues," the FDA referred to the cause as "possible microbial contamination." Microbial contamination is classified as "non-intended or accidental introduction of microbes such as bacteria, yeast, mould, fungi, virus, prions, protozoa or their toxins and by-products," according to the Journal of Pharmaceutical Microbiology.

Microbial contamination can cause a variety of illnesses, including Legionnaires’ disease, Pontiac fever, and aspergillosis.

Symptoms of Legionnaires disease may include the following, according to the Mayo Clinic:

• Headache
• Muscle pain
• Chills
• Fever that may be 104 F (40 C) or higher
• Cough, which may bring up mucus and sometimes blood
• Shortness of breath
• Chest pain
• Gastrointestinal symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhea
• Confusion or other mental changes

Contracting Pontiac fever often leads to "problems thinking clearly, fatigue and trouble falling asleep," and "pain or tightness in your chest," to name a few symptoms, according to Drugs.

As for aspergillosis, the symptoms vary based on which type of infection you develop. The Mayo Clinic lists every infection caused by aspergillosis on its website.

Considering microbial contamination can cause serious illnesses, Dr. Frank King — the CEO of King Bio — decided to recall all of the company's aqueous-based products. Dr. King wrote in a statement shared to the company's website:

On August 27, 2018, King Bio voluntarily recalled all of its aqueous-based products due to possible water-purity issues. This includes all brands (Dr. King’s: Natural Medicine, Aquaflora, Natural Pet Pharmaceuticals, SafeCareRx, Natural Veterinary, and Safecare) and includes liquids, oral sprays, nasal gels, creams, and lotions.

Rest assured, however, there have been no reports of "illness or injury" related to the products thus far. Dr. King added:

While there have been no reports of illness or injury due to any of our products, we chose to issue the recall out of an abundance of caution. King Bio is notifying its distributors and customers by letter and is arranging for return and/or replacement of all recalled products. Consumers, distributors, and retailers that have recalled product should discontinue use and or distribution and contact King Bio at: recall@kingbio.com to arrange a return.

If you don't want to wait for a letter to arrive in the mail, you can visit King Bio's website to check out the long list of recalled products. Thankfully for consumers, the list is organized by product number, product name, lot number, and UPC code.

Lastly, if you have any lingering concerns about the recall, contact King Bio ASAP by email or phone. Dr. King said in the final portion of his message:

Consumers with questions regarding this recall can contact King Bio at 866-298-2740 or e-mail recall@kingbio.com, Monday – Thursday 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., EST. Consumers should contact their physician or healthcare provider if they have experienced any problems that may be related to taking or using these products.

As with any recall, do your best to stay informed. Although these types of situations can be frightening, you can keep your family safe by arming yourself with trusted information.