{"id":8687,"date":"2026-04-30T10:24:01","date_gmt":"2026-04-30T10:24:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/?p=8687"},"modified":"2026-05-06T11:23:05","modified_gmt":"2026-05-06T11:23:05","slug":"antidepressant-recall-chaos-how-to-know-if-your-prescription-contains-tablets-that-could-trigger-concerning-side-effects","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/?p=8687","title":{"rendered":"Sertraline recall batch numbers 2026 | Serotonin syndrome symptoms | MHRA antidepressant recall"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div>\n<h3 data-path-to-node=\"7\">\ud83d\udd0d How to Check If Your Sertraline is Affected<\/h3>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"8\">The recall is highly specific to a single batch distributed since <b data-path-to-node=\"8\" data-index-in-node=\"66\">November 28, 2025<\/b>. You must check both the outer cardboard box and the foil strips inside.<\/p>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"9\"><b data-path-to-node=\"9\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Step 1: Check the Cardboard Box<\/b> Look for the following details printed on the outer packaging of your 100mg film-coated sertraline tablets:<\/p>\n<ul data-path-to-node=\"10\">\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"10,0,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"10,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Batch Number:<\/b> <code data-path-to-node=\"10,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"14\">V2500425<\/code><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"10,1,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"10,1,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Expiry Date:<\/b> <code data-path-to-node=\"10,1,0\" data-index-in-node=\"13\">May 2028<\/code><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"11\"><b data-path-to-node=\"11\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Step 2: Check the Blister Packs Inside<\/b> If your box matches the batch number, open it and inspect the foil strips.<\/p>\n<ul data-path-to-node=\"12\">\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"12,0,0\">A &#8220;rogue&#8221; strip will have <b data-path-to-node=\"12,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"26\">&#8220;Citalopram 40mg&#8221;<\/b> clearly printed on the foil back.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"12,1,0\"><i data-path-to-node=\"12,1,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Note:<\/i> Do not assume the box is safe just because the first strip is correct; check every strip in the carton.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"artSplitter mol-img-group\">\n<div class=\"mol-img\">\n<div class=\"image-wrap\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" id=\"i-b3b6a4faf007d83a\" class=\"blkBorder img-share\" style=\"max-width: 100%;\" src=\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.com\/1s\/2026\/04\/30\/11\/108274455-15778621-image-a-1_1777544067659.jpg\" alt=\"Some boxes of Sertraline 100mg contained a strip of the wrong medication\" width=\"634\" height=\"357\" \/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"imageCaption\">Some boxes of Sertraline 100mg contained a strip of the wrong medication<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"artSplitter mol-img-group\">\n<div class=\"mol-img\">\n<div class=\"image-wrap\"><img decoding=\"async\" id=\"i-a9f3a6976b448978\" class=\"blkBorder img-share\" style=\"max-width: 100%;\" src=\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.com\/1s\/2026\/04\/30\/11\/108274457-15778621-image-a-2_1777544072355.jpg\" alt=\"Boxes with this batch number and expiry date are affected\" width=\"634\" height=\"304\" \/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h3 data-path-to-node=\"14\">\ud83d\udea8 What to Do If You Find the Wrong Medication<\/h3>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"15\">If you find a strip of citalopram inside your sertraline box, <b data-path-to-node=\"15\" data-index-in-node=\"62\">do not take it.<\/b><\/p>\n<ol start=\"1\" data-path-to-node=\"16\">\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"16,0,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"16,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Stop and Return:<\/b> Take the affected box back to your pharmacy immediately. <span class=\"citation-491 citation-end-491\">The MHRA has already instructed pharmacists to accept returns and stop supplying this batch.<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"source-inline-chip-container ng-star-inserted\"><\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"16,1,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"16,1,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Contact Your GP:<\/b> Inform your doctor of the mix-up so they can review your treatment and issue a new, safe prescription to ensure you do not experience withdrawal symptoms from stopping your medication abruptly.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"16,2,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"16,2,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Report It:<\/b> Use the MHRA\u2019s <b data-path-to-node=\"16,2,0\" data-index-in-node=\"26\">Yellow Card scheme<\/b> to report the incident and any adverse reactions you may have experienced.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<blockquote data-path-to-node=\"17\">\n<p data-path-to-node=\"17,0\"><i data-path-to-node=\"17,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">High-Risk Patients:<\/i> The MHRA notes that patients over 65, under 18, or those with underlying heart or liver conditions need to be particularly cautious if they suspect they have taken the wrong medication.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"artSplitter mol-img-group\">\n<div class=\"mol-img\">\n<div class=\"image-wrap\"><img decoding=\"async\" id=\"i-2a3e24c1f58d106\" class=\"blkBorder img-share\" style=\"max-width: 100%;\" src=\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.com\/1s\/2026\/04\/30\/11\/108274453-15778621-image-a-3_1777544125482.jpg\" alt=\"This is what a blister pack of citalopram 40mg looks like\" width=\"634\" height=\"386\" \/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h3 data-path-to-node=\"19\">\u26a0\ufe0f The Danger: Understanding Serotonin Syndrome<\/h3>\n<p id=\"p-rc_b6b0764374eb0b7f-194\" data-path-to-node=\"20\"><span class=\"citation-490 citation-end-490\">Both sertraline and citalopram work by boosting serotonin levels in the brain.<\/span> <span class=\"citation-489\">Taking them together\u2014or accidentally alternating them\u2014can overload your system, leading to <\/span><b data-path-to-node=\"20\" data-index-in-node=\"170\"><span class=\"citation-489\">Serotonin Syndrome<\/span><\/b><span class=\"citation-489 citation-end-489\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"source-inline-chip-container ng-star-inserted\"><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"21\">This is a medical emergency. If you have accidentally taken the citalopram and experience any of the following symptoms, <b data-path-to-node=\"21\" data-index-in-node=\"121\">seek medical help immediately (Call 999 or go to A&amp;E):<\/b><\/p>\n<ul data-path-to-node=\"22\">\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"22,0,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"22,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Physical Signs:<\/b> Tachycardia (heart rate over 100 BPM), high blood pressure, excessive sweating, or a sudden spike in body temperature (hyperthermia up to 40\u00b0C\/104\u00b0F).<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p id=\"p-rc_b6b0764374eb0b7f-195\" data-path-to-node=\"22,1,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"22,1,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\"><span class=\"citation-488\">Neuromuscular Signs:<\/span><\/b><span class=\"citation-488 citation-end-488\"> Tremors, muscle stiffness, exaggerated reflexes (hyperreflexia), or involuntary rhythmic muscle contractions (clonus).<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"source-inline-chip-container ng-star-inserted\"><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/li>\n<li>\n<p id=\"p-rc_b6b0764374eb0b7f-196\" data-path-to-node=\"22,2,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"22,2,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\"><span class=\"citation-487\">Mental State:<\/span><\/b><span class=\"citation-487 citation-end-487\"> Extreme agitation, confusion, or severe anxiety.<\/span> <span class=\"citation-486 citation-end-486\">(In severe cases, it can lead to a coma).<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"source-inline-chip-container ng-star-inserted\"><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<p><iframe id=\"xp-iframe-molc1jgqjbh80m38pmg\" class=\"iframe-creator \" style=\"border: 0; width: 0; min-width: 100%;\" src=\"https:\/\/flo.uri.sh\/visualisation\/24334189\/embed\" name=\"xp-iframe-molc1jgqjbh80m38pmg\" height=\"600\" scrolling=\"no\" data-xpmodule-iframe-resizable=\"\">Your browser does not support iframes.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><iframe id=\"xp-iframe-molc1jgnhx8v8rwfnss\" class=\"iframe-creator \" style=\"border: 0; width: 0; min-width: 100%;\" src=\"https:\/\/public.flourish.studio\/visualisation\/24470617\/embed\" name=\"xp-iframe-molc1jgnhx8v8rwfnss\" height=\"600\">Your browser does not support iframes.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h3 data-path-to-node=\"24\">\ud83d\udcc9 How Did This Happen?<\/h3>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"25\"><span class=\"citation-485 citation-end-485\">According to the MHRA, both drugs were manufactured at the same facility.<\/span> The error appears to have occurred during the &#8220;secondary packing&#8221; phase, where the foil blister strips are placed into the final cardboard cartons.<\/p>\n<div class=\"source-inline-chip-container ng-star-inserted\"><\/div>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"26\"><span class=\"citation-484 citation-end-484\">The issue was flagged after an adult patient complained of severe headaches and subsequently discovered the citalopram strip in their sertraline box.<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"source-inline-chip-container ng-star-inserted\"><\/div>\n<hr data-path-to-node=\"27\" \/>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"28\"><b data-path-to-node=\"28\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Are you currently taking sertraline and need help navigating the Yellow Card reporting scheme, or do you have questions about safely transitioning between different SSRI medications?<\/b><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&nbsp; \ud83d\udd0d How to Check If Your Sertraline is Affected The recall is highly specific to a single batch distributed since November 28, 2025. You must check both the outer cardboard box and the foil strips inside. Step 1: Check the Cardboard Box Look for the following details printed on the outer packaging of your<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":8688,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[987],"tags":[2988,4019,3596,4017,4023,2233,4021,4018,4020,4022],"class_list":{"0":"post-8687","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-healthy-living","8":"tag-antidepressants","9":"tag-citalopram","10":"tag-medication-safety","11":"tag-mhra-recall","12":"tag-pharmacy-alert","13":"tag-public-health-2026","14":"tag-serotonin-syndrome","15":"tag-sertraline","16":"tag-ssri-mix-up","17":"tag-yellow-card-scheme"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8687","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=8687"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8687\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9018,"href":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8687\/revisions\/9018"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/8688"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=8687"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=8687"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=8687"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}