Batch of Widely Used Anti-Anxiety Drug Xanax Recalled Over Safety Concerns

A single lot of a widely used anti-anxiety drug called Xanax has been recalled, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced.

“The drug’s distributor, Viatris, said it was recalling one lot containing 51 bottles of 3 milligram extended release tablets because of concerns that they might not dissolve in the body as expected,” the New York Times reported. “This can affect how much of the drug is released and absorbed over time, making the effects less predictable. The pills were sold nationwide under the brand name Xanax XR.”

The company said it has not received any reports of adverse events and that the “risk to the patient associated with this event is considered to be negligible.” 

Viatris said the recalled pills were in 60-pill bottles between August 2024 and May 2025. The lot number is 8177156 with an expiration date of Feb. 28, 2027, according to the report.

A