Akorn voluntarily recalls 70 human and animal drugs following bankruptcy and shutdown

Akorn Pharmaceuticals has issued a voluntary recall of its drugs following the company's decision to close shop.

The recall list is comprised of 75 human drugs and 9 veterinary drugs, and is not associated with any adverse events, but with the company's February Chapter 7 bankruptcy filing in which they have agreed to shut down.

The shutdown includes the closing of their quality program, meaning "the company will not be able to support or guarantee that the products will meet all intended specifications through the labeled shelf life of the product," the company stated in a press release.

Akorn products were distributed to wholesalers, retailers, manufacturers, medical facilities, repackagers and consumers via the internet.

The company is notifying distributors by mail and asking them to notify consumers and retailers about the recall. They are further advising that consumers discard the recalled product and get in touch with their doctor.

For questions regarding the recall, consumers can get in touch with an Akorn at 800-932-5676 available Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Central Daylight Time.

For human drugs, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration takes online reports or call 800-332-1088.

For animal drug adverse events, consumers can contact the FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine Adverse Event Reporting program and fill out and emailing the FDA 1932a form.

Did Akorn Pharmaceuticals go out of business?

Based in Gurnee, Illinois, Akorn abruptly laid off 400 people over a Zoom call in February, as reported by The Herald & Review. Douglas Boothe, Akorn president and chief executive officer, relayed the message to employees of the closure.

But the company has faced a series of difficulties.

In 2019, Reuters reported that Akorn received warning letters from the FDA following a plant's procedure violations to prevent drugs from getting contaminated.

Fierce Pharma reported that Akorn also filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2020, and was in acquisition talks in 2018for $4.3 billion with Fresenius, a German drug maker, but Fresenius pulled back from the deal in 2018 alleging fraud in Akorn's drug development and manufacturing.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Akorn recall 70 human and animals drugs