A precautionary blood pressure medication recall has been issued in the UK after a packaging error was identified in one batch of a commonly prescribed hypertension treatment.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) said Crescent Pharma Limited is recalling a specific batch of Ramipril 5 mg Capsules after a report that cartons labelled as ramipril contained blister strips of a different medicine.
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The recall relates to batch GR164099, which may contain Amlodipine 5 mg Tablets instead of ramipril capsules due to a packaging mix-up during manufacturing. The medicines regulator has classified the incident as a Class 2 medicines recall, meaning the issue could cause temporary or medically reversible health effects.
Pharmacies, wholesalers and healthcare providers have been instructed to stop supplying the affected batch and return any remaining stock to suppliers while patients are advised to check their packaging.
Packaging error triggers ramipril recall
The ramipril recall followed a complaint from a pharmacy after a patient discovered blister strips of amlodipine tablets inside a sealed carton labelled as Ramipril 5 mg Capsules.
Both medicines are produced at the same manufacturing site, and the error is believed to have occurred during the secondary packaging stage when blister packs were inserted into cartons.
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By GlobalDataRamipril and amlodipine are widely used blood pressure medications that treat hypertension but belong to different drug classes and work through different mechanisms. Ramipril is an ACE inhibitor, while amlodipine is a calcium channel blocker.
The manufacturer confirmed that only the identified batch is affected. The product pack size is 28 capsules and the batch was first distributed in June 2025 with an expiry date of October 2026.
Guidance for pharmacies and healthcare professionals
The MHRA has advised pharmacists and healthcare providers to quarantine the affected batch immediately and arrange its return through standard supplier processes. Healthcare professionals are also asked to identify patients who may have received the batch and contact them where possible.
If dispensing records allow traceability, pharmacies should reach out directly to patients who received the impacted medication. Where such records are unavailable, the regulator recommends prioritising patients who were supplied the product most recently.
Clinicians may also need to review treatment for affected patients and issue replacement prescriptions where necessary to ensure continued management of high blood pressure.
Low health risk but patients advised to check packs
The MHRA said the overall patient safety risk from the packaging error is low because both medicines are approved treatments for hypertension. However, patients who inadvertently take amlodipine instead of ramipril may experience lower blood pressure than expected.
The most likely symptom is dizziness linked to reduced blood pressure. Patients are advised to check whether the name printed on the blister strips matches the carton. If the blister pack is labelled Amlodipine 5 mg Tablets, the pack should be returned to the dispensing pharmacy.
Individuals who believe they may have taken the incorrect medicine and are experiencing side effects should seek medical advice and report suspected reactions through the MHRA’s Yellow Card safety reporting system.
The regulator said packs containing correctly labelled ramipril capsules do not require further action.
The incident highlights ongoing monitoring of medicine supply chains in the UK, where regulators routinely issue safety alerts and product recalls to address manufacturing, packaging or labelling errors that could affect patient treatment.
