Health

Urgent Paracetamol Recall Leaves UK Shoppers Worried Over Discolored Pills

Published on June 10, 2025

Shoppers are being urged to check their medicine cabinets after a batch of paracetamol was pulled from shelves over fears of contamination. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has issued an urgent recall for two batches of 500mg tablets made by Chelonia Healthcare Ltd, after a number of pills were found to be discolored.

The tablets involved are prescription-only, so they won’t be found in standard supermarket shelves, but anyone who’s picked up paracetamol from a pharmacy recently is being told to double-check the packaging. The affected batch numbers are 2312010 and 2312011, and they both have an expiry date of November 2027, reported Metro.co.uk.

The MHRA didn’t go into detail about the nature of the contamination or what risk it might pose but flagged the discoloration as a potential concern. The tablets are supposed to be white, capsule-shaped, and have a score line on the side. Anything that looks off in color should be treated with caution.

The advice is simple — if you’ve got a pot of these tablets and they look discolored in any way, don’t take them. Instead, the MHRA says you should contact your pharmacist or the healthcare professional who gave you the medication. If you’ve already taken one and feel unwell or have any kind of reaction, don’t wait — seek medical help.

Pharmacies across the country have been alerted and told to stop handing out anything from the two affected batches immediately. That means no more packs should be dispensed from these batches, but it’s still possible that some were given out earlier this year before the issue was spotted.

The recall might sound alarming, especially since paracetamol is such a common household medicine, but the MHRA hasn’t said how serious the issue is or what exactly the discoloration means in terms of health risks. That uncertainty is exactly why they’re urging caution and telling people not to take any chances.

With millions of people across the UK relying on paracetamol for everything from headaches and period pain to fevers and arthritis, any issue with supply is always taken seriously. While the affected tablets were only available via prescription, this latest recall still serves as a reminder to always check packaging carefully — especially when something doesn’t look quite right.

This isn’t the first time medicines have been recalled over appearance issues, and usually, it’s a precaution rather than an indication of something harmful. Still, it’s understandable that people are concerned, particularly when details are limited.

If you’re unsure whether your medication is affected, you can check the batch number printed on the packaging — usually found near the barcode or on the label. If it matches one of the two recalled codes, take it straight back to the pharmacy.

In the meantime, if you need pain relief, there are plenty of unaffected options still available, and your pharmacist will be able to help you find a safe alternative if needed.

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