The Therapeutics Goods Administration (TGA) and pharmaceutical giant Roche Australia have issued a massive recall of the prescription anxiety medication, Valium, after evidence of tampering was uncovered. All five milligram tablets supplied in sheets of 50 have been pulled off the shelves across Australia. Valium tablets of other strengths—including two milligram and 10 milligram—are not reported to have been affected.The recall comes after Roche discovered someone had been replacing Valium sheets with a variety of other pharmaceuticals that are not used to treat anxiety. A Roche representative told Choice the switch out is thought to have occurred after the Valium left Roche's local warehouse and headed to distribution partner Apotex, which also manufactures drugs.In a press release, the TGA explained Valium had been replaced with sheets of other medicines manufactured by Apotex, including BTC Paracetamol Codeine tablets, BTC Rosuvastatin 10 mg tablets and Apotex-Pantoprazole 40 mg tablets. Apotex-Pantoprazole is used to treat ulcer symptoms, Paracetamol Codeine treats mild pain, and Rosuvastatin is used to lower cholesterol levels. All three medicines are also being recalled, as the TGA believes packages currently on sale will not contain adequate sheets.According to The Examiner police are treating the matter as a criminal investigation, and are looking into whether the theft took place in Rydalmere, a suburb near Parramatta in western Sydney. "The alleged theft was reported to police on Friday, May 26, 2017," a NSW Police spokesperson said. However, police have confirmed they are looking into whether the Valium was stolen "over a period of time" from the business in question.The TGA has warned consumers not to take any five milligram Valium tablets supplied in 50 tablet blister packs, and instead return the medicine to the pharmacy where it was purchased. Pharmacists have been instructed to provide a full refund—even if the packet is partially used—or offer a generic diazepam replacement. The TGA has advised consumers to bring a valid prescription or repeat with them.Valium is Roche's brand name for diazepam, a benzodiazepine. Every year nearly seven million prescriptions for benzodiazepines are issued in Australia, with Valium among the most common. Illicit use of Valium has been on the rise in Australia, and the drug is linked with the most overdose deaths in the country—contributing to 176 deaths in 2015, versus 168 for heroin and 97 for alcohol.This Valium recall is Australia's highest profile pharmaceutical recall since arthritis drug Vioxx was pulled from shelves in 2004, after the TGA acknowledged findings it increased the risk of heart attacks. The most recent recall of another Apotex product was in September 2016, due to a packaging issue which allowed moisture to seep into a medicine. The last Roche product pulled from shelves was a blood glucose meter in June 2014.More as this story develops.
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