Insight Pharmaceuticals recalls anesthetic spray

Tarrytown-based Insight Pharmaceuticals has issued a voluntarily recall of one lot of its Americaine 20% Benzocaine Topical Anesthetic Spray to the consumer level.

“A recent review by our manufacturer and their third-party lab found that a sample from one lot of the product showed a low level of benzene came from the propellant that sprays the product out of the can,” said the company in a statement. “Importantly, no other lots of Americaine 20% Benzocaine Topical Anesthetic Spray (either before or after this batch code) are in the scope of this recall and may continue to be used by consumers safely and as intended.”

The company added that it has not received “any serious adverse events related to this recall,” noting that although benzene is classified as a human carcinogen it is “ubiquitous in the environment [and] humans around the world have daily exposures to it indoors and outdoors from multiple sources.”

The affected products were distributed nationwide through a limited number of retailers and online. The company said will also offer reimbursement for consumers who have purchased the product that is marked with the lot code 1A16420.