Urgent recall issued for immune system supplements including Bioceuticals

An urgent recall alert has been issued over fears immune system supplements could cause a fatal allergic reaction.

The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) issued the alert on Thursday after receiving a high number of anaphylaxis reports for supplements containing Andrographis.

Supplements containing the ingredient have already had to feature a warning label since 2019 over fears of allergic reactions.

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But the TGA has continued to receive reports, including a fatal anaphylactic attack in June 2024, which led to Andrographis being removed from the Permissible Ingredients Determination in September.

A subsequent recall alert has since been issued for 13 supplements containing the ingredient.

Consumers have been warned to check if they have the effected supplements and “should not use them”.

“You should return the goods to the place of purchase, or contact the Sponsor or supplier,” the TGA said.

An urgent recall of supplements containing andrographis has hit 13 products, four of which from Bioceuticals. Credit: BioCeuticals, Viswaprabha/Wikimedia

The full list of the products is listen below:

BioCeuticals ArmaForce 30, 60 and 120 BioCeuticals Clinical ImmuneForce 60Faulding Immune Combat – 100’S pack sizePM Lung Support IIImmune Support Echinacea Plus, 60 Film Coated TabletsChemists’ Own Provance Immune Defence28 Plus Immune DefenceNourex Professional Immune Defence 30 and 60Nourex Professional Immune Force 30 and 60

Customers and wholesalers have been warned that all of the products which had not expired by October 8 should be returned.

The TGA said that the products could return to shelves in the future as the recent measure is “only to ensure that medicines containing Andrographis are regulated in a way that better matches its safety risks”.

“Under this pathway, individual medicines are assessed by the TGA for safety, quality and effectiveness before they are registered in the ARTG (Australian Register of Therapeutic goods).”