Pfizer recalls Lipitor due to moldy smell

Recall over the odor issue is the third in three months

Topics: Drugs,

Pfizer says it is recalling 38,000 bottles of the cholesterol drug Lipitor, its best-selling product, due to reports of a musty or moldy odor.

The recall was triggered by two consumer complaints about the smell of Lipitor bottles, which are manufactured by a third-party company in Puerto Rico.

This is the third Lipitor recall over the odor issue in three months. The New York company recalled 140,000 bottles in August and another 191,000 earlier this month.

Pfizer Inc. says the odor was caused by a chemical found on wooden pallets which are used to store and ship its bottles. The company says it is working with the Puerto Rican bottle manufacturer to eliminate the chemical.

Competitor Johnson & Johnson has issued five recalls this year over similar odor issues.

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