Eye drops and ointments recalled because they may not be sterile

Look twice when getting ready this weekend.

Some eye drops and ointments sold over-the-counter at major retailers are being recalled due to fears that they may not be sterile.

Altaire Pharmaceuticals Inc. has voluntarily recalled Walgreens and Walmart store brand products and a third recall for Perrigo prescription ointments, according to notices for recalls posted online by the Food and Drug Administration.

The FDA warns that the use of a non-sterile product intended to be sterile, “may result in serious and potentially life threatening infections or death.”

To date, Altaire has received no reports of death or injury from using the products recalled, according to the FDA.

The recall is due to management concerns regarding the “sufficiency of quality assurance controls over critical systems in the manufacturing facility,” the recall notice states.

The products recalled for Walmart are the following: 

  • Product Description: Equate Restore Tears Lubricant Eye Drops Twin Pack W-M item #: 552374320 NDC #: 49035-189-49 Package Size: 2 x 15 mL:
Lot Number Expiration Date Manufacturer Initial Ship Date
17196 07/19 08/15/2017
17292 09/19 11/03/2017
17355 11/19 12/22/2017
19040 02/21 03/26/2019

 

  • Product Description: Equate Eye Allergy Relief Drops W-M item #: 567371432 NDC #: 49035-887-13 Package Size: 15 mL:
Lot Number Expiration Date Manufacturer Initial Ship Date
19128 05/21 06/20/2019
19009 01/21 01/28/2019
19003 01/21 02/21/2019
19034 01/21 03/07/2019
19060 02/21 04/22/2019
19061 02/21 05/21/2019
18252 10/20 11/21/2018
18058 03/20 03/22/2018
18224 09/20 09/26/2018
18185 07/20 08/27/2018
18152 06/20 07/05/2018
18159 06/20 07/18/2018
18091 04/20 06/07/2018
18090 04/20 04/27/2018
18069 03/20 04/04/2018

 

  • Product Description: Equate Sterile Lubricant Stye Ointment W-M item #: 563031651 NDC #: 49035-875-50 Package Size: 3.5 gram:
Lot Number Expiration Date Manufacturer Initial Ship Date
SAJ 01/21 03/23/2018
SFE 06/21 07/05/2018
SIA 09/21 10/23/2018
RIE 09/20 09/28/2017
REH 05/20 07/21/2017
RAD 01/20 05/23/2017
TAH 01/22 02/14/2019
TDD 04/22 05/29/2019

 

  • Product Description: Equate Comfort Gel Lubricant Eye Gel Twin Pack W-M item #: 552374319 NDC #: 49035-197-49 Package Size: 2 x 15 mL:
Lot Number Expiration Date Manufacturer Initial Ship Date
17384 12/19 01/17/2018
17259 08/19 10/27/2017
19002 01/21 01/22/2019
19041 02/21 04/09/2019
18222 09/20 09/25/2018
18084 04/20 06/15/2018

 

  • Product Description: Equate Restore PM Nighttime Lubricant Eye Ointment W-M item #: 551282425 NDC #: 49035-191-50 Package Size: 3.5 gram:
Lot Number Expiration Date Manufacturer Initial Ship Date
SKG 08/21 12/18/2018
SHK 08/21 10/09/2018
SHJ 08/21 09/13/2018
SEC 05/21 07/13/2018
SCB 03/21 01/14/2019
SBC 02/21 03/21/2019
RLB 12/20 12/27/2017
RBB 02/20 04/28/2017
RHR 08/20 10/04/2017
RFK 06/20 07/28/2017
RAB 01/20 03/21/2017
TAD 01/22 01/25/2019
TAQ 01/22 03/18/2019
TBI 02/22 04/29/2019
TDB 04/22 06/07/2019
QHE 08/19 09/27/2016
QJD 10/19 12/07/2016
SGE 07/21 08/07/2018

 

  • Product Description: Equate Night & Day Restore Tears Lubricant Eye Pack W-M item #: 567368000 NDC #: 49035-883-59 Package Size: 3.5g and 15mL:
Lot Number Expiration Date Manufacturer Initial Ship Date
KT19146 02/21 06/05/2019
KT18133 04/20 12/12/2018
KT18194 07/20 01/15/2019
KT18129 02/20 05/25/18

 

  • Product Description: Equate Support Advanced Twin Pack W-M item #: 567371433 NDC #: 49035-885-49 Package Size: 2 x 15 mL:
Lot Number Expiration Date Manufacturer Initial Ship Date
19137 05/22 06/06/2019
19022 01/22 02/18/2019

 

  • Product Description: Equate Support Advanced Lubricating Eye Drops Dose Preservative Free W-M item #: 563031654 NDC # 49035-882-54: Package Size: 25 count (0.6 mL fill):
Lot Number Expiration Date Manufacturer Initial Ship Date
RKP 11/19 01/08/2018
RIN 09/19 12/22/2017
SLC 12/20 01/16/2019
RIF 09/19 10/10/2017
TBE 02/21 03/26/2019
TBI 02/21 05/15/2019
SHB 08/20 10/03/2018

 

  • Product Description: Equate Support Advanced Lubricant Gel Drops Multi Dose Preservative Free W-M item #: 567367998 NDC #: 49035-882-52 Package Size: 7.5 mL:
Lot Number Expiration Date Manufacturer Initial Ship Date
19015 01/21 02/06/2019
19117 04/21 05/20/2019
18080 07/20 08/02/2018
18111 05/20 05/25/2018

 

  • Product Description: Equate Support Moisture Lubricant Eye Drops W-M item #: 553503238 NDC #: 49035-145-10 Package Size:10 mL:
Lot Number Expiration Date Manufacturer Initial Ship Date
19011 01/21 04/01/2019
18052 02/20 03/26/2018
18266 10/20 01/15/2019
18178 07/20 08/20/2018
17385 12/19 01/24/2018

 

  • Product Description: Support Harmony Lubricant Eye Drops W-M item #: 553503238 NDC #: 49035-145-10 Package Size: 10 mL (Note: Support Harmony packaging was discontinued in January 2018):
Lot Number Expiration Date Manufacturer Initial Ship Date
17290 09/19 11/03/2017

 

The products recalled for Walgreens are the following: 

  • Product Description: Lubricant Eye Drops Moisturizing Walgreens item #: 801483 NDC #: 0363-0185-13 Package Size: 15 mL:
Lot Number Expiration Date Manufacturer Initial Ship Date
19095 04/21 05/14/19

 

  • Product Description: Lubricant Eye Drops Moisturizing Twin Pack Walgreens item #: 801477 NDC #: 0363-0185-49 Package Size: 2 x 15 mL:
Lot Number Expiration Date Manufacturer Initial Ship Date
19095 04/21 05/14/19

 

  • Product Description: Sodium Chloride Ophthalmic Ointment, 5% Hypertonicity Eye Ointment Walgreens item #: 801482 NDC #: 0363-7500-50 Package Size: 3.5 gram:
Lot Number Expiration Date Manufacturer Initial Ship Date
TCI 03/21 05/08/2019

 

  • Product Description: Sodium Chloride Ophthalmic Solution, 5% Hypertonicity Eye Drops Walgreens item #: 801402 NDC #: 0363-0193-13 Package Size: 15 mL:
Lot Number Expiration Date Manufacturer Initial Ship Date
19105 04/22 05/24/2019
19050 02/22 05/23/2019

 

  • Product Description: Lubricant Eye Ointment PF Soothing Walgreens item #: 801486 NDC #: 0363-0191-50 Package Size: 3.5 gram:
Lot Number Expiration Date Manufacturer Initial Ship Date
TDB 04/22 05/24/2019

 

Check products at home by looking up the specific lot numbers on the FDA website for Walmart and Walgreens.

Valerie Bonk

Valerie Bonk started working at WTOP in 2016 and has lived in Howard County, Maryland, her entire life. She's thrilled to be a reporter for WTOP telling stories on air. She works as both a television and radio reporter in the Maryland and D.C. areas. 

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