Almost 120,000 packs of Boots Paracetamol have been recalled because of a packaging error where they are incorrectly labelled as Aspirin on the foil blister.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has today issued a recall alert for a specific batch of Boots Paracetamol 500mg (16s) and has advised the public to stop using the product immediately and to return packets a Boots store for a refund.

The error has seen the foil blister inside the cartoon incorrectly state ‘Aspirin 300mg Dispersible Tablets’ instead of ‘Paracetamol 500mg Tablets’.

Though Boots and its supplier have confirmed that the tablets in the blister packs are Paracetamol 500mg and not aspirin, and are conducting a full investigation into the issue.

The error has been identified in those with a batch number of 241005 and an expiry date of 12/2029 and affects 119,964 packs.

The MHRA stressed that the packs ‘should not be kept at home, even if the error is known, as this could lead to confusion and an incorrect dose being taken’.

Dr Stephanie Millican, MHRA deputy director benefit risk evaluation, said: ‘Patient safety is always our priority.

‘It is vitally important that you check the packaging of your Boots Paracetamol 500mg Tablets 16s, and if the batch number is 241005, you should stop using the product and return it to a Boots store for a full refund.’

She added: ‘If you are unsure which pack you have purchased or have taken Boots Paracetamol 500mg Tablets and experienced any side effects, seek advice from a healthcare professional. Please report any suspected adverse reactions via the MHRA’s Yellow Card scheme.

‘If you have any questions or require further advice, please seek advice from your pharmacist or other relevant healthcare professional.’

Last month, two batches of nitrofurantoin 100mg prolonged-release capsules were been recalled after a small number of packs were found to contain an additional tablet of nitrofurantoin.