Product Information:

FDA Alerts U.S. Residents of Counterfeit "Lipitor"

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is alerting U.S. residents to counterfeit "Lipitor" atorvastatin).

July 2005 -- FDA Alerts U.S. Residents to Recall of Counterfeit "Lipitor" Sold in the United Kingdom

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is alerting U.S. residents to the recent recall of a batch of counterfeit "Lipitor" (atorvastatin) sold in the United Kingdom (U.K.). The medicine is used to treat high cholesterol. The counterfeit Lipitor 20mg tablets were recalled in the U.K. on July 28, 2005. Health authorities in the U.K. stated that initial results of tests performed on the counterfeit drugs do not indicate that this product poses an immediate risk to patients, however, they are advising that patients stop taking the drug and return it to the pharmacy where they obtained it.

Additionally, The Food and Drug Administration uncovered batches of fake Lipitor and ordered Kansas City-based Albers to recall 100,000 bottles. An additional three more batches containing counterfeit pills have been discovered by the FDA. The FDA warned Lipitor users and pharmacists to carefully check their bottles before using Lipitor.

To spot the fake version, look for the words "Repackaged by MED-PRO Inc., Lexington, NE 68850" on 90-tablet bottles that bear any of the following lot numbers:

20842V, expiration 09-2004

16092V, expiration 07-2004

20722V, expiration 09-2004

04132V, expiration 01-2004

16942V, expiration 09-2004

D270481, expiration not available.

All but that last batch are 10-milligram tablets; the last one includes 20-milligram tablets.

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