The MHRA has issued a drug alert urging caution when using Nurofen Plus Tablets, after Seroquel XL tablets were found in some packets of the painkiller.

Nurofen manufacturer Reckitt Benckiser had received "three reports of rogue Seroquel XL 50mg tablets" found in cartons of Nurofen Plus, a P medicine containing codeine.

Prescription-only antipsychotic Seroquel XL is made by AstraZeneca and manufacturing errors were not thought to be the cause of the problem, the MHRA said.

Patients have been advised to return any affected packets to their pharmacy and pharmacists were asked to remain vigilant.

Any further cases or concerns should be reported promptly to the MHRA's Defective Medicines Report Centre on 020 3080 6574.

The affected batches of Nurofen Plus were: 

The affected Nurofen Plus cartons contained "only rogue cut-down blisters" of the Seroquel tablets, with no Nurofen tablets present, the MHRA said.

Some of the prescription-only tablets were parallel imports, while others were originator product, it added.

"We have some information to suggest possible links between [the three] cases. It is possible that these problems are linked to product consolidation and/or erroneous examination of returns," the MHRA said.

"Work is ongoing to obtain more information but the full facts may never be fully established," it added.

For medical information enquiries pharmacists should contact the relevant manufacturers as below.

AstraZeneca (Seroquel): 0800 783 0033

Reckitt Benckiser (Nurofen Plus): 0500 455 456