\u201cConsumers should stop using affected batches immediately and return them to the place of purchase for a full refund or replacement,\u201d the notice said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis action has been taken due to report of allergic adverse reactions.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you or your child have experienced any adverse reaction after consuming the product, seek medical advice if required.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dozens of parents commented on the recall post demanding more information, with many claiming their children had experienced reactions severe enough to require medical attention.<\/p>\n
Anna Lowes told the Herald she was shocked to learn gummies she bought in February, which had caused her daughter to become covered in rashes, had the same batch number she queried the company about months ago.<\/p>\n
Lowes said her daughter routinely ate the same breakfast with two gummies every morning.<\/p>\n
\u201cEvery now and then, she was getting a reaction, and I just couldn\u2019t pinpoint what it was until I realised I\u2019d bought a new jar of their multivitamins.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lowes said she asked The Good Vitamin Co whether any changes had been made to the product\u2019s ingredients, but her email went unanswered.<\/p>\n
She later came across the recall notice in a Facebook mums\u2019 group, where members were describing similar reactions to those her daughter experienced.<\/p>\n
One mother says she tried to raise concerns about The Good Vitamin Co’s gummies months before the recall notice after her child started breaking out in rashes. Photo \/ Supplied<\/p>\n
Lowes described the brand\u2019s failure to respond to her earlier query as \u201cnegligent\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn the back of your mind, you don\u2019t really think a vitamin that you\u2019re giving your child to make them better is what\u2019s making them worse.\u201d<\/p>\n
Another mother living in rural Northland said her four-year-old son experienced rapid and severe reactions after consuming the gummies, despite taking them for years earlier without issue.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was to the point where, within minutes, his whole body went bright red, his lips were swelling, there was tingling in his mouth, his lips went white,\u201d Cassandra Hollows told the Herald.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe second day, he literally ate [a gummy] in front of us, and within not even a minute he started whimpering, then getting all upset, rubbing his lips, and panicking … the medical people even said he\u2019d need a EpiPen given how fast he was reacting.\u201d<\/p>\n
Her son – who is health-compromised – has since undergone a full allergy test ahead of an upcoming surgery, yet the results still came back clear.<\/p>\n
\u201cI want to know whether there\u2019s actually strict testing being done on these products or not that we\u2019re giving our kids,\u201d Hollows said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey said the testing they\u2019d done [on the batches] so far has come up with nothing, they believe it\u2019s something in a raw material from suppliers.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Good Vitamin Co has been approached for comment. <\/p>\n
Several parents expressed frustration that the message was not being pushed wider by the company or officials, with Hollows concerned why it wasn\u2019t already \u201cpublic knowledge\u201d.<\/p>\n
James said Medsafe was notified after the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) began receiving reports of allergic reactions to the product.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe contacted The Good Vitamin Co, and it informed us that in late April, it had recalled the affected batches from the supply chain, which included removing it from shops and pharmacies. <\/p>\n
\u201cSince becoming aware of the issue, Medsafe has been working with the company on additional actions to protect consumers.\u201d<\/p>\n
Along with issuing its own safety alert, James said Medsafe asked The Good Vitamin Co to publicly publish the recall notice while investigations continued.<\/p>\n
\u201cMedsafe takes this issue very seriously. We\u2019re still working with the company to investigate the cause of the reactions. <\/p>\n
\u201cAnyone who has experienced a side effect should report it to our safety monitoring platform, CARM<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n James said those that had taken an affected gummy and were concerned about side effects should contact a health provider.<\/p>\n \u201cThey can help you find out whether anything else needs to be done and what the best next steps are.\u201d<\/p>\n