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Hundreds of thousands of bottles of nasal spray have been recalled due to risks of poisoning.
Bayer has voluntarily recalled 786,100 bottles of Travel Size Afrin Original Nasal Spray because the products are not in child-safe packaging.
The products contain the nasal decongestant imidazoline, which the Poison Prevention Packaging Act requires be protected with child-safe packaging to avoid accidental poisoning.
If swallowed, imidazoline can lead to slowed brain activity, trouble breathing and heart distress. The drug can also be especially toxic to children, even if swallowed in small doses.
‘The 6 mL nasal spray’s packaging is not child-resistant nor bears the required labeling statement, posing a risk of serious injury or illness from poisoning if the contents are swallowed by young children,’ the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) said in its recall announcement.
No injuries or adverse effects related to the recall have been reported to date.
The affected products were sold in 6mL, travel-sized bottles with lot numbers 230361, 240822, 241198, 250066, 250152, 250646 and 250831.
These travel size bottles have ‘Afrin Original Nasal Spray’ and ‘1/5 FL OZ (6 mL)’ printed on a label located on the front of the bottle.
Nearly 800,000 bottles of nasal spray have been recalled due to poisoning risks (stock image)
Pictured above is the front and back of the package of the recalled Afrin spray
Recalled Afrin bottles were sold nationwide at convenience stores and travel hubs including airports from September 2024 to April 2026 for about $7 to $9.
Bayer said customers ‘should immediately secure the recalled bottles out of sight and reach of children’ and go to the brand’s website to request a refund.
Consumers will be asked to take and submit a photo of the product before disposing of it in order to receive a refund.
Customers with questions can contact Bayer at 800-317-2165 Monday through Friday 8am through 8pm ET, or online through a recall refund webform.
There are no publicly reported fatalities in the US to date among young children who accidentally consumed imidazoline.
Imidazoline acts as a powerful nasal decongestant by constricting blood vessels.
It’s also used in eye drop brands like Visine and Clear Eyes to reduce inflammation and redness.
The drug is considered safe when used topically in the eyes or ingested in the nasal passages, but swallowing it can rapidly lead to toxicity, especially in children.
Signs of poisoning include drowsiness, extreme lethargy, low muscle tone, decreased breathing rate, blue lips or fingers, slowed heart rate, low blood pressure, nausea, vomiting and tremors.
The recall comes after 27,400 spray bottles of Tomum Hair Regrowth Treatment with Minoxidil for Men and Women were recalled in March due to also not being in child-safe packaging.
And more than 350,000 bottles of iron-containing dietary supplements were also pulled from shelves last month due to the packaging not being safe for children.
No injuries or illnesses were reported for either recall.
