Canadians who take MAR-Amlodipine 5 mg are being urged to check their prescription bottles immediately after Health Canada warned that some bottles may contain the wrong drug. The recall involves two lots of MAR-Amlodipine 5 mg tablets and the concern is direct and practical: what’s inside the bottle may not match what the label says.
Official recall notice: Health Canada recall alert for MAR-Amlodipine 5 mg
What to do right now: The correct tablets are white to off-white and eight-sided. If you see any round tablets in the bottle, return it to your pharmacy for a replacement and do not take the round tablets.
Product: MAR-Amlodipine 5 mg, DIN 02371715. The issue has been categorized as a health products safety concern because the manufacturer, Marcan Pharmaceuticals Inc., is recalling two lots after identifying that some bottles labelled as MAR-Amlodipine 5 mg may contain tablets they identified as midodrine 2.5 mg.
MAR-Amlodipine is commonly used to treat high blood pressure and chest pain in adults and children six years of age and older. Midodrine is used to treat low blood pressure. That swap matters. Substituting a medication meant to manage high blood pressure with one that can raise it creates a risk that isn’t theoretical, especially for people with heart-related conditions or those taking multiple prescriptions.
Affected product details
| Product | DIN | Lot | Expiry |
|---|---|---|---|
| MAR-Amlodipine 5 mg | 02371715 | 2472021, 2472021A | July 2027 |
If your bottle matches the DIN and lot numbers above, treat this as time-sensitive and check the tablets by appearance and imprint markings.
How to identify the correct and incorrect tablets
- MAR-Amlodipine 5 mg tablets: white to off-white, flat and eight-sided, with a line across the middle. One side has “210” and “5” printed on it, and the other side is blank.
- Midodrine 2.5 mg tablets: white, round, marked with “M2” on one side and a line across the middle on the other side.
Why this can be dangerous: Midodrine can raise blood pressure. Health Canada warns that accidentally taking midodrine instead of amlodipine may lead to serious side effects such as a dangerous increase in blood pressure, dizziness, fainting, slow heartbeats, and potential organ damage. The risk may vary by person, and some patients may face greater harm depending on their health profile and current medications.
The advisory also notes that patients with certain conditions, including pheochromocytoma, glaucoma, or hyperthyroidism, and people taking other medications could experience different side effects with varying severity if they take the wrong tablets by mistake. A further concern is that some people may not feel symptoms even when blood pressure is elevated. In other words, a person may only realize something is wrong by measuring blood pressure, and yet elevated blood pressure without symptoms can still cause significant harm.
Children may face a higher risk: Health Canada warns that children taking the wrong medication may have a higher risk of serious side effects and potential harm. If you manage medications for a child or an older adult, it’s worth confirming tablet shape and markings carefully before any dose is taken.
What you should do
- Immediately check your medication bottle to ensure it only contains MAR-Amlodipine 5 mg tablets.
- Do not take the round tablets. If you see any, return the bottle to your pharmacy for a replacement.
- If you are unsure about what you’re seeing, return it to your pharmacy rather than guessing.
- If you cannot get a replacement immediately, continue taking your medication as directed but do not take the round tablets.
When to call for urgent help: Contact a health care professional or call 911 if you are dizzy, have unusually high blood pressure, or slow heartbeats. Seek immediate medical attention if you have chest pain, a sudden headache, an inability to move or feel a part of your body, or impaired speech.
Health Canada says it is monitoring the company’s recall and investigation, including corrective and preventive actions intended to stop the issue from happening again. If you have questions about the recall, the advisory says you can contact Marcan Pharmaceuticals Inc. by calling 1-855-627-2261 or emailing info@marcanpharma.com. Health Canada also encourages Canadians to report health product-related side effects or complaints through its reporting channels.
For health professionals, the alert emphasizes a straightforward check before dispensing: pharmacists and other care providers should inspect packages and bottles labelled MAR-Amlodipine 5 mg (amlodipine besylate) to confirm they do not contain midodrine 2.5 mg tablets, and report unusual bottles or issues to the company and Health Canada.
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The most important step for patients is also the simplest: match the pill to the description. If your MAR-Amlodipine bottle contains anything round, treat it as potentially affected and take it back to your pharmacy. Checking now can prevent a medication mix-up from turning into a serious health emergency.
