Posted on 04/13/2013 12:28:46 AM PDT by LibWhacker
I'm just including a few of the replies on ask.com...
AntonioDittmann: 4 months ago
As of this writing, Maalox continues to be scarce. Some time ago, the manufacturer, Novartis, became aware of production problems at their Lincoln, NE plant. Although most of these problems seem related to pills not associated with Maalox, the plant was entirely shut down, affecting the supply of all drugs made at that plant. According to one source, the plant is under renovation and modernization, but I have not found a documented date of re-activation provided by Novartis. Other drugs affected by this shortage/recall include the cold remedy Triaminic, and the combo remedy Theraflu.
The shortage may also effect generic or store label brands of the same type as Maalox (a compound of Magnesium Chloride and Aluminum Chloride). One possible explanation is that many of these generic label brands are actually purchased overstock of the brand name or trademarked original. In other words, a store label compound that says something like, "compare to the active ingredient in Maalox," might actually be Maalox, with perhaps a small variation in texture so as not to advantage the store label product over the trademarked product.
home4sure: 1 year ago | Last edited at 9:18AM on 4/16/2012
Someone I know called Novartis (3/2012). They said that there is no recall on the product, but that they are having a shortage of liquid Maalox because they have shut down the US and Canadian plants that manufature the product, for remodeling. They said that they don't expect to start making it again until later this year. If the store ran out of stock, they will not be getting more for a few months.
TxPatriot: 1 year ago
The Maalox shortage continues, but is NOT limited to liquid forms. I have not seen ANY form of Maalox on the shelves in months, but also the drug store generics which are based on the Maalox formulations have ALSO disappeared from the shelves. This is in liquid or in TABLET form as well.
The fact that the retailers have no information, no contact with their manufacturers, and that nobody has really reported this leads me to believe the hand of government, specifically of Homeland Security MAY be involved here. They are the only agency which can order a company to do something and under pains of NATIONAL SECURITY letters under the "Patriot" Act, hold them criminally responsible for breaking that silence about the existence of the order.
Why would not the wholesaler or manufacturer want to get the word out to their customers to hang on, we're coming back shortly...don't switch to our rivals just yet. The longer this continues, the more likely that I'm correct.
seesthetruth: 7 months ago
Go the Maalox website--you have to google Maalox USA. I think the website is www.maaloxus.com. The website says some BS about insuring the integrity of the product, so they are temporarily suspending production of the product. There is something else going on. They had to pull their absolute BEST product (Maalox Total) off of the shelves because the FDA implied that people can't read and would be taking the wrong product. The government regulates what it wants to regulate. I have a feeling there is some trouble with the government and these products. But, as I said, if you go to the website you will see the explanation.
jimmy813: 5 months ago
Something fishy is going on..The B.S. about remodeling the plants and bits of strange substances being found in the product is the EXACT SAME explanation given when EXECDRIN disappeared.
The Novartis entire plant was shut down because of something wrong on the Excedrin line. Not only human medicines were affected. I give my Labs their brand of monthly heartworm medicine and I had to switch. The vet recently told me that the old medicine is starting back into production very soon. Tyhpical govt - problem over here in this corner, shut the whole damn place down.
Yeah I think that’s a factor. I generally avoid carbs and rarely have heartburn but I baked a loaf of bread the other day on a whim. It was so good that I had three or four thick slices and, sure enough, wound up with heartburn.
BTW, I’ve read that a serving of cooked broccoli is an excellent natural heartburn remedy.
I agree with the WHEAT
A gluten-free diet cured my chronic heartburb, I lost 25 pounds, and feel LOT better (no more inflamed joints)
I also started taking tumeric, cinnamon, fish oil, magnesium and potassium capsules
I feel quite a lot better
:D
Tums, tu tums tums
I want Drixoral and Nizoral shampoo. :(
Is it good for a headache? :-)
“Put three tablespoons of baking soda in about a 1/2 cup of water and drink.”
If it wasn’t for the high sodium content, I’d use baking soda on a regular basis. Works wonders.
Thanx, Sal!
Have the available compounders decreased?
In the past, our vet utilized a compounding pharmacy to obtain a liquid, extra-strongly flavored doxycycline when our Akita refused the tablets.
OK, how do well-known products vanish from the shelves and not get noted by anyone?
Try this link for a detailed explanation of the multitude of problems of quality control at the plant.
I dont think anyone is talking about it because they would be discussing their own massive failures at quality control.
Correcting it involves more than a stick on label. They need to requalify the new formulation, assess its equivalence to the old one, take this data and prepare variations to the regulatory dossier in all markets in which the product is sold, then await regulatory approval prior to resuming sales. Stability testing and regulatory inspections by multiple boards of health may also be necessary. The process can take years.
Sure thing.
[I have a ‘working pharmacy’ for my animals]
;D
Interesting about the tear gas angle. Maybe the military has a standing order in for all the aluminum and magnesium hydroxide it can get to counteract the effects of certain chemical warfare agents, should they be used against the troops? For instance, what’s used to treat mustard gas exposure?
Lol!
LMAO!
Hmmm... A worldwide shortage of products containing aluminum and magnesium hydroxide... It MUST be due to military demand, kind of like nylon supplies drying up during WWII because the military needed it for parachutes?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.