Two batches of paracetamol have been recalled as a precautionary measure following reports of “discoloured tablets”. A notice issued by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) referred to batches of 500mg pills made by Chelonia Healthcare Limited.

The affected pills are distributed in pots of 100. The notice said: “Patients or carers should check to see if they have received tablets from the listed batches of Paracetamol 500 mg Tablets. The batch number can be found on the label of the medicine bottle and on the outer carton. These tablets can only be obtained from a pharmacy with a prescription. 

“The number of tablets you will have been given will vary depending on your prescription and you may have only received a small number of tablets.

“The tablets should be ‘white capsule-shaped tablets, scored on one side’, as per the Patient Information Leaflet (PIL).”

The MHRA described the recall as Class 2, which means the defect may cause mistreatment or harm to the patient but is not life-threatening or serious.

It applies to two batches of pills. One has the number 2312010 and an expiry date of November 30, 2027. The other has the batch number 2312011 and an expiry date of November 31, 2027. Both were first distributed in April and May this year.

Chelonia Healthcare Limited issued the recall after “a small number of complaints of discoloured tablets found within some packs, reported by healthcare professionals”.

Anyone who finds a discoloured pill is urged to “contact your pharmacist or the healthcare professional who dispensed your prescription”.

Healthcare professionals have also been told to stop using the batches, quarantine remaining stock and return it to the supplier.

The latest paracetamol recall comes after a similar one in March, for packets sold by Boots which has a labelling error.