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Pharmacists are being asked to contact all patients taking a brand of clopidogrel oral suspension and oral solution, following a product recall owing to batches containing less than the labelled amount of drug.
In a class two recall notice published on 26 October 2026, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) said that manufacturer Xeal Pharma had told the regulator that the affected batches contain only 76% of the labelled amount of clopidogrel.
All batches produced prior to the notification are affected, the recall notice added.
Clopidogrel is an antiplatelet medicine used in the prevention and treatment of atherothrombotic events. Between June 2025 and May 2026, 12 million items were dispensed in England.
The recall notice noted that pharmacists must identify and contact all patients who have been dispensed with the affected batches, as well as inform them that the medicine contains a lower dose than prescribed.
However, it emphasised that “patients and carers should be reminded that suddenly stopping this medicine may cause serious thrombotic events”, while patients should keep taking their medicine as advised until they receive an alternative product.
Pharmacists who identify a patient who has received an affected product must contact the prescriber to discuss ongoing treatment options, the recall notice continued.
It said that there are currently no licensed clopidogrel oral suspension/solutions available, adding that patients with impacted batches “may require a dose correction, alternative licensed formulations or a different treatment option”.
A spokesperson for the British Heart Foundation said: “We understand that news of this recall may be unsettling for people who take clopidogrel. This recall only affects oral suspension and oral solution forms of clopidogrel, which are rarely prescribed in the UK, with most people taking the medication in tablet form.
“Clopidogrel is an antiplatelet medicine which helps to prevent harmful blood clots, and it is important that people do not stop taking it without medical advice, as stopping treatment can increase the risk of serious blood clots.
“People affected by this recall will be contacted by their pharmacist or GP, who will review their treatment and advise them on what happens next. This may include adjusting their dose or switching them to a different formulation or medication.”
“No reports of patient harm have been received regarding this issue, and the recall is being undertaken out of an abundance of caution,” the recall notice said.
