Last week's news of quality control problems at McNeil's Fort Washington plant is a grim remainder of the fact that marketplace truism is often wrong and what is shown in advertisement does not necessarily match the quality of the products.
McNeil Consumer Healthcare, a sunsidiary of Johnson & Johnson, had recalled Tylenol Infant Drops, Children's Tylenol, and other name brands after FDA inspectors found defect in the production process of these medicines. The recall is all set to destroy McNeil's reputation, which used to enjoy a good reputation among the conusmers for its quality products meant for babies and children.
The report released by the FDA after its inspectors completed their inspection at the plant forced McNeil to announce the suspension of all production at the plant.
Although the FDA's findings are preliminary, but the agency has expressed its concern in the report asking the parents not to use the recalled products. In its report, the FDA said that the plant lacked a "written testing program designed to assess the stability characteristics of drug products."
Earlier this January, the FDA had issued a warning letter to McNeil saying that the company's inquiry into the contamination, first reported two years ago, had been "unjustifiably delayed and terminated prematurely."
On its part, McNeil has not disputed the FDA's findings. "We will continue to work in close consultation with the FDA to take corrective action and ensure that our quality operations meet the high standards that consumers expect from us," said McNeil in a statement.
