Fear of Switched Labels Prompts Recall of Antidepressant, Prostate Drugs

Pfizer Inc. subsidiary Greenstone LLC recalled one lot of its Citalopram depression medicine and its prostate drug Finasteride because the wrong labels may have been put on the bottles, said the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Greenstone said in a recall notice that bottles of Citalopram, a generic drug with trade names including Celexa, may contain Finasteride, used to treat prostate problems and baldness in men. Finasteride's trade names include Proscar, Propecia and several others.

Consumers who took the wrong medication should immediately contact their doctors. Women who are pregnant or may become pregnant shouldn't touch Finasteride, classified pregnancy category X because it can be absorbed through the skin and harm fetuses.

Further, consumers who suddenly stop taking the antidepressant Citalopram could experience worse depression and withdrawal symptoms.