18 September 2026 · The Pharmacist
MHRA issues defect notice for clobazam oral suspension
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has issued a class 4 medicines defect notification concerning specific batches of the anti-anxiety medication clobazam. The regulatory alert relates to an identified barcode error found on packaging for the medicine, prompting the formal notification to healthcare professionals and dispensing teams across the United Kingdom.
According to the alert reported by The Pharmacist, the defect notice applies to three batches across two strengths: clobazam 5mg/5ml oral suspension and clobazam 10mg/5ml oral suspension, both in 150ml bottle presentations. The issue specifically involves incorrect barcode information on the affected packaging rather than a reported chemical or formulation defect within the oral liquid itself.
Class 4 defect notices issued by the MHRA are used to inform healthcare professionals of a product defect that does not require a recall, but warrants caution during dispensing and inventory management. Dispensary staff handling these products must be mindful of the packaging discrepancy, particularly where automated verification or electronic barcode scanning is utilised during the dispensing workflow.
UK online pharmacies and dispensing hubs should verify their current inventory of clobazam 5mg/5ml and 10mg/5ml oral suspension against the published batch numbers to ensure electronic barcode checks do not lead to processing errors or dispensing delays.