(AP) -- A Johnson & Johnson consumer health unit plagued by product recalls says it is pulling some versions of infant Tylenol off store shelves due to problems with a device that helps measure doses.
McNeil Consumer Healthcare says it is recalling about 574,000 bottles of a grape-flavored version of the liquid medicine, which was distributed nationally.
The medicine bottle comes with a syringe and has a protective cover, or flow restrictor, at the top to help measure the right dose. McNeil says that restrictor has been pushed into the bottle in some cases when the syringe is inserted.
Dr. Robert Draker, medical director at Summerwood Pediatrics in Liverpool, says the medicine itself is safe, but the measuring device is the problem.
"The device that's used to take the Tylenol out of the bottle, the container, was defective in that flow controller separated from the syringe device that used to take it out," Dr. Draker said.
Dr. Draker says if you have the medicine and are going to continue using it, you have to use a different measuring device.
"Probably to be safe, I wouldn't use the measuring device that's in it, but use something else whether it's a smaller syringe or you can get dosage syringes from the pharmacy or small cup," Dr. Draker said.
McNeil is one of three business segments for J&J, which is based in New Brunswick, N.J. The consumer division has issued about two dozen recalls in more than two years.
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