ST. JOHNSVILLE - A woman is suing the medical manufacturer McNeil Consumer Healthcare over a bottle of over-the-counter pain reliever that made her ill, according to the lawsuit.
According to the complaint filed with Montgomery County, Lori Quackenbush is suing McNeil Consumer Healthcare, a subsidiary of the Johnson & Johnson corporation, after a bottle of Tylenol she took was "contaminated with a foreign substance, bacteria or other agent prone to cause human sickness," according to the complaint.
The pills, manufactured by McNeil Consumer Healthcare, were purchased by Quackenbush on Nov. 26, 2009, at Kinney Drugs. The complaint goes on to say that the pills were "not fit for the plaintiff's consumption." As a result, the complaint said, when Quackenbush took the pills she became extremely ill and was required to seek medical attention, causing up to $75,000 in damages to her health.
McNeil Consumer Healthcare initiated a recall in November 2009, stating that five lots of Tylenol Arthritis Pain 100 count bottles after consumer reports spoke of an unusual moldy, musty, or mildew-like odor that was associated with nausea, stomach pain, vomiting and diarrhea.
The complaint does not state the lot number, nor the symptoms of Quackenbush.
A report from Johnson & Johnson said the smell was caused by trace amounts of the chemical 2,4,6-tribromoanisole. The chemical's source is believed to be the breakdown of a substance used to treat wooden pallets that transport and store packing materials.
"The health effects of this compound have not been well studied, and to date all of the observed events reported to McNeil were temporary and non-serious," the report said.
Jodie Wertheim, Director of Communications at Johnson & Johnson, said that company policy is to not discuss ongoing litigation, but she did say that she has not been served any summons.
Robert Abdella, Quackenbush's attorney, and McNeil Consumer Healthcare could not be reached for comment.
Arthur Cleveland is the Montgomery County reporter. He can be reached at Montco@leaderherald.com