We've all had those days where something inside us just doesn't feel quite right. Our stomachs are churning, but when we try to use the bathroom, nothing happens. So, after a while, we decide to help the process along with an over-the-counter laxative. But, due to a new recall from the Food & Drug Administration (FDA), that laxative may do way more harm than good.

FDA Recalls CVS-Brand Laxative

The FDA announced last Wednesday (June 22nd, 2022) that Vi-Jon, LLC, the manufacturer of CVS Magnesium Citrate Saline Laxative Oral Solution Lemon Flavor, was recalling one lot of the product after testing revealed it was contaminated with Gluconacetobacter liquefaciens (pronounced: GLU-CO-NUH-SEE-TOW-BACK-TER LIC-KWA-FAY-SHE-ANS). What in the world are those, you ask? They are what scientists call a "gram-negative" bacteria that "develops in "a sucrose-rich (a.k.a. sugar) medium such as sugarcane sap," according to Science Direct, and can cause, "infections including pneumonia, bloodstream infections, wound or surgical site infections, and meningitis in healthcare settings," according to the CDC. These infections could lead to serious, life-threatening infections in those with compromised immune systems according to the recall.

Fortunately, neither the FDA nor Vi-Jon, LLC have received any reports of illness as a result of using the product.

Laxative Recall Information

With that said, it's obviously not worth risking continued use of the product if you have some in your medicine cabinet, especially if you or someone in your household is considered to be immunocompromised.

The recalled product was sold at CVS locations around the country, including those in Indiana, and features a 10-ounce, clear, round, plastic bottle inside the exterior packaging pictured below. It also includes batch number 0556808 and an expiration date of 12/2023 on the shoulder of the bottle.

Vi-Jon, LLC via the U.S. Food & Drug Administration
Vi-Jon, LLC via the U.S. Food & Drug Administration
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Even if you yourself or a family member are considered immunocompromised, the FDA strongly encourages you to stop using the product immediately and return however much is left to the location where you purchased it. If you have any health issues you think may be related to using the medication, contact your doctor, and report your issues to the FDA's MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program.

[Sources: FDA / Science Direct / CDC]

KEEP READING: See 25 natural ways to boost your immune system

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