Two batch numbers, one laxative, and a recall that does not ask patients to stop
What happened
On 5 October 2026 the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) issued a Class 3 Medicines Recall for two batches of Movicol Plain 13.7g powder for oral solution. Movicol Plain is a widely used laxative, taken as a sachet of powder mixed with water. The company that holds the licence, Norgine Limited, is recalling the batches as a precaution. The reason given is that some units may contain the wrong amounts of active ingredients. The two affected batches are: Batch 487069, expiry 28 February 2029, pack size 30, first distributed 5 June 2026. Batch 474919, expiry 31 August 2028, pack size 30, first distributed 7 November 2025. The active ingredients in Movicol Plain are macrogol 3350, sodium chloride, sodium hydrogen carbonate and potassium chloride. The product licence number is PL 20142/0004. The MHRA alert reference is EL(26)A/41. Crucially, the recall is being carried out at pharmacy and wholesaler level. Pharmacies and dispensing GP practices must stop supplying those batches immediately, quarantine remaining stock and return it. Patients are not being asked to return anything.
Why this matters
Movicol Plain is not a niche medicine. It is one of the most commonly dispensed treatments for constipation in the UK, used by adults, by older people, and by people whose other medicines slow the bowel down. For some, it is a daily part of life. So a recall notice will worry people. The important detail is the one many headlines miss: the MHRA is not telling patients to stop taking it. That is what a Class 3 recall usually means. The MHRA grades recalls by how serious the problem is. Class 1 is the most urgent. Class 3 means the defect is unlikely to cause significant harm, and the action is taken out of caution. Here, the recall has deliberately been set at the level of shops and warehouses rather than kitchen cupboards. It also matters because it shows a system working as intended. A manufacturer found a problem with the amount of active ingredient in some units, reported it, and the batches were pulled within the supply chain. The Defective Medicines Report Centre at the MHRA is the part of government that handles exactly this.
What the evidence actually says
The MHRA notice is short and specific, and it is worth separating what it says from what it does not say. It says some units in those two batches may contain incorrect amounts of active ingredients. It does not say every sachet is wrong, and it does not report harm to patients. Advice for healthcare professionals is firm: stop supplying the batches immediately, quarantine all remaining stock, and return it to the supplier using the supplier's approved process. NHS regional teams have been asked to forward the alert to community pharmacists and dispensing GPs. Advice for patients is just as clear: no further action is required, because the recall is happening at retail and wholesale level. The MHRA states that the recall is being undertaken out of an abundance of caution, and that patients who have this batch may continue to take the medicine. The notice does add one condition. Anyone who experiences an adverse reaction, or who has questions about their medication, should seek medical attention. Suspected side effects should be reported through the MHRA Yellow Card scheme, which anyone in the UK can use, patient or professional. Norgine has also published contact routes: medical information enquiries by email to [email protected] or by phone on 01895 826606, and stock enquiries to [email protected] or 01895 826600.
Qurexa perspective
Recalls are the unglamorous heart of pharmacy work. When an alert like this lands, someone has to check the shelves, match batch numbers, pull stock and make sure nothing slips out of the door. We take that seriously, and we think patients deserve to know it is happening rather than only hearing about it if something goes wrong. If you have your prescriptions delivered by us and you take Movicol Plain, you do not need to do anything. If you would still like the reassurance of someone checking the batch number on the pack you already have at home, ring us and we will talk it through with you. No charge, no appointment, no fuss - that is simply part of having a pharmacy you can reach.
Practical advice
If you take Movicol Plain, here is what to do. Do not stop taking it because of this notice. The MHRA says patients can carry on, and stopping a laxative suddenly can cause its own problems, especially if you take it for a long-term condition. If you want to check, look at the box for the batch number. Only 487069 and 474919 are affected, and both are 30-sachet packs. If you are unsure, ask your pharmacist. They have the alert, including the batch list, and the check takes a moment. If you feel unwell, or your constipation is not being controlled as it was, get medical advice as you normally would. The MHRA specifically asks people with adverse reactions or questions to seek attention. If you think a medicine has caused you a side effect, you can report it yourself through the MHRA Yellow Card scheme. Patient reports count and are used. And if your pharmacy tells you a different batch is coming, that is the recall working. Movicol Plain itself has not been withdrawn - only these two batches.
What to know
On 5 October 2026 the MHRA issued a Class 3 Medicines Recall, reference EL(26)A/41, for two batches of Movicol Plain 13.7g powder for oral solution made by Norgine Limited. The batches are 487069 (expiry 28 February 2029) and 474919 (expiry 31 August 2028), both 30-sachet packs. Some units may contain incorrect amounts of active ingredients. Pharmacies and dispensing GP practices must stop supplying those batches, quarantine stock and return it. Patients need take no action and may continue taking the medicine they have. Anyone with side effects or questions should seek medical advice, and suspected reactions can be reported via the MHRA Yellow Card scheme. Sources: Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, "Class 3 Medicines Recall: Norgine Limited, MOVICOL Plain 13.7g powder for oral solution, EL(26)A/41", 5 October 2026, https://www.gov.uk/drug-device-alerts/class-3-medicines-recall-norgine-limited-movicol-plain-13-dot-7g-powder-for-oral-solution-el-26-a-slash-41 ; Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, "Alerts, recalls and safety information: medicines and medical devices", accessed 8 October 2026, https://www.gov.uk/drug-device-alerts ; Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, "Yellow Card scheme", accessed 8 October 2026, https://yellowcard.mhra.gov.uk/ This article is for general information and does not replace advice from a doctor, pharmacist or other qualified healthcare professional.
Related articles
Six hours, not never: the ICU filter notice the MHRA issued today
The UK's medicines and devices regulator has issued a new safety notice to hospitals, and it is about timing. On 13 October 2026 the Medicines and Healthcare p…
Eight pages to a minister: what the data guardian says trust is worth
On 12 October 2026, the government published a letter about who should be trusted with NHS patient data. It was written by Dr Nicola Byrne, the National Data G…
Update: the tests came back, and it was not plague
This is a follow-up to a story we covered on 5 October, when nearly 200 people were being monitored after the death of a laboratory worker in Siberia. There has…