Pharmacies must contact all patients dispensed a specific batch of the beta blocker labetalol that may contain the wrong medication, the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has instructed.

If batch traceability is not possible, all patients dispensed this product in the last six months must be contacted.

In a class two medicines recall notice issued this afternoon, the MHRA said that a limited number of Labetalol 200mg Tablets (Batch Number 240537) cartons may also contain a blister strip of Vera-Til SR 240mg Tablets (verapamil).

It said that the batch of Labetalol 200mg tablets was being recalled 'as a precautionary measure due to potential mix-up at the manufacturing site' and after 'one single market complaint' about the issue.

Both products were manufactured by Tillomed Laboratories Limited at the same manufacturing site and 'the error appears to have occurred during secondary packaging of the blister strips into the cartons', the MHRA said.

Pharmacists must contact patients and recall affected labetalol batch

Pharmacists should identify and 'immediately contact' all patients who have been dispensed the impacted batch, and, if they have remaining stock in their possession, ask them to check the batch number and return any packs that contain the incorrect blister strips to their pharmacy.

'If batch traceability information is not available, all patients dispensed this product from May 2024 should be contacted,' the MHRA said.

And it shared a guide to identifying the different medications and locating the batch number.

New prescription needed for replacement labetalol medicine

Patients will also need to contact their GP for a new prescription to replace any impacted products, and pharmacists should 'consider contacting the patient’s GP or prescriber and discuss if a new prescription is required for any ongoing resupply with other labetalol products', the MHRA said.

If patients pay for prescriptions and do not use a pre-payment certificate, they will have to pay the cost of a new prescription if needed.

Seek 'immediate medical advice' if wrong medication taken

If patients have accidentally taken Vera-Til SR 240mg tablets, they must seek immediate medical advice, the MHRA said.

'Prescribers, clinicians, and other healthcare professionals involved in the prescribing/monitoring of patients who may have taken verapamil instead of labetalol, should contact their patients and/or carers directly to ensure that their treatment is reviewed, and a suitable alternative product is prescribed,' it added.

The beta blocker is one of 43 labetalol hydrochloride medicinal product packs which, all together, total around 11,000 items dispensed each month, with the highest prescribing rates in North East London Integrated Care Board (ICB).