Packaging defect prompts VistaPharm oxy recall

VistaPharm has recalled thousands of cases of generic oxycodone as a result of a defect that allowed the powerful painkiller to leak out of the packaging.

According to a notice on the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) website, VistaPharm decided to voluntarily recall 8,900 cases of oxycodone hydrochloride solution made at its facility in Largo, Florida after identifying problems with the container.

The US generic drug manufacturer said the defect caused excess material to accumulate “between the seal and the cup resulting in the lid not properly adhering and allowing leakage.

VistaPharm supplies its pain medications to hospitals, pharmacies and clinics across the US. The firm was acquired in December by Vertice Pharma, a new pharmaceutical company backed by US private equity company Warburg Pincus.