A drug maker just recalled a popular allergy pill. Workers found red dots on some tablets. Those dots came from a different drug mixed in by mistake.

The pill is cetirizine, 5 milligrams. It is the generic form of Zyrtec. Millions of people take it every day for sneezing and itchy eyes.

Here is why this matters. The wrong drug got mixed in with the allergy pills. That drug is ranitidine. It is an old heartburn drug. People allergic to ranitidine could get very sick if they swallow it by mistake.

A pharmacy worker spotted the problem first. The worker saw red dots and odd color spots on some tablets. This happened while the worker was counting pills into bottles. Tests later showed the red dots were ranitidine.

The FDA is the government group that checks drug safety. The FDA warns this mix-up could cause serious reactions. Someone allergic to ranitidine could get low blood pressure. They could have trouble breathing. Their throat or face could swell up. In bad cases, they could pass out. These kinds of reactions can be life-threatening for people sensitive to ranitidine.

No one has reported getting sick so far. The company that sells the pills, Rising Pharma Holdings, says it has not gotten any reports of harm.

Four batches of pills got recalled. Check your bottle for these lot numbers: GY825029, GY825030, GY825031, or GY825032. The bottles expire in October 2028. The bottle also has a code called the NDC number. That code is 16571-401-10. The pills come in bottles of 100.

Unique Pharmaceutical Laboratories made the pills. That company is based in India. It started the recall on Saturday, July 18. Rising Pharma Holdings sold the pills to stores all over the country. That includes Texas.

The FDA posted the recall notice two days later. That was Monday, July 20.

If you have one of these bottles, stop taking the pills. Check the lot number on the label. If it matches one of the four numbers above, do not take any more pills from that bottle.

Call your doctor if you feel sick after taking the pills. Watch for swelling. Watch for trouble breathing. Watch for a fast heartbeat.

You can call Rising Pharma Holdings at 1-844-874-7464. The company answers calls Monday through Friday. Hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern time. You can also email pv@risingpharma.com or qa@risingpharma.com.

The FDA wants to hear about bad reactions too. You can report problems through the FDA MedWatch program. Go to fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-332-1088.

This recall is separate from the recent lettuce recall tied to a parasite outbreak. It is also separate from the recent recall of a kids' snack. This is a different product with its own problem.

El Tejano will update this story if the FDA adds more lots. El Tejano will also update if anyone reports getting sick.