Sabotage theory over contaminated drugs

Experts are continuing to investigate how some packs of Nurofen Plus came to contain strips of a potentially harmful anti-psychotic drug.

People are being warned to check their supplies of the painkiller after the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) issued a safety alert following reports some packs contained Seroquel XL 50mg.

Three packs of Nurofen Plus have so far been found to contain blister packs of the anti-psychotic medicine. They were bought in Victoria, Bromley and Beckenham, south London.

In each pack, the end two capsules of Seroquel XL had been cut off. This could indicate they have previously been dispensed, or they could potentially have been cut down to fit the Nurofen Plus box.

The makers of the drug said sabotage had not been ruled out but investigators have not yet established what happened.

Angie Wiles, joint chief executive of Virgo Health, which represents Nurofen Plus, said: “We are not ruling it out but we are considering other options as well. I think that is pretty unlikely.”

The MHRA, which is leading the investigation, has powers to involve the police but has not done so to date.

The issue is believed to have arisen at a wholesaler.