Costco issues recall for essential medication over concerning contamination

Wednesday, 8 January 2025

Costco issues recall for essential medication over concerning contamination

by BD Banks

With the holidays behind us and the beginning of a new year in front of us, the winter season is stepping in with full force and at its highest peak for those living in the Northern Hemisphere.

Although winter might be some people’s favorite time of the year due to the low temperatures that, in some instances, may bring tons of fluffy white snow, others are not as happy about seeing shorter days and having to wear five thick layers of clothing to get out of the house.

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Whether a winter fan or not, one thing most cannot run away from during this chilly time is the higher risk of potentially catching a terrible cold or even the dreaded flu.

Let’s be honest. Even if we get an excuse to take a day or two off work, no one likes having a runny nose, sore throat, headaches, uncontrollable sneezing and coughing, or worse, full-body aches and fatigue.

Thankfully for everyone, we do live in the 21st century and can easily get rid of or at least manage the winter sickness by going to our local grocery store or pharmacy and getting over-the-counter medicine to ease our pains,

As responsible adults, most of us have our trusty go-to cold and flu medicine that we run to whenever those undesirable symptoms begin quietly to sneak up on us.

However, those whose go-to cold and flu medication is from Costco might want to check their box carefully, as the retail giant has just issued a concerning recall on an essential seasonal medication.

Customers shop at a Costco store in Teterboro, New Jersey.

Bloomberg/Getty Images

Costco recalls a cold and flu medication over a concerning contamination issue

Costco (COST) published a recall on Jan. 2 issued by the pharmaceutical manufacturer and supplier LNK International Inc. for its Kirkland Signature Severe Cold & Flu Plus Congestion medication due to potential foreign material contamination.

Customers who purchased the Kirkland Signature Severe Cold & Flu Plus Congestion medication between Oct. 30 and Nov. 30, 2024, at any Midwest and Southeast Costco locations may own the recalled product.

If you are unsure when the medication was bought, the product can also be identified by item number #1729556 and lot code P140082, printed on the box.

LNK issued this recall “out of an abundance of caution.” Customers are advised not to use or continue using the medication. Instead, the product should be returned to a local Costco and will be fully refunded.

Costco recalled the same cold and flu medication a month ago for a different reason

Unfortunately, this is not the first time Costco has recalled this specific medication.

Last month, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a recall on 8,640 boxes of Kirkland Signature Severe Cold & Flu Plus Congestion due to an extensive review that discovered the ingredient, oral phenylephrine, was deemed not effective enough as a nasal decongestant.

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The medication for the December recall has an expiration date of August 2026 and lot numbers P139953 or P139815. Customers who possess this medication are also advised to return it to their local Costco immediately to be fully refunded.