Health Highlights: March 1, 2008

Mar. 24 -- Here are some of the latest health and medical news developments, compiled by editors of HealthDay:

Pills Reported Found in Recalled Frozen Fish

Gorton's frozen fish sold in 10 states is being recalled after unidentified pills were found in the product by a Pennsylvania family, the Associated Press reported.

The company ordered the precautionary recall of about 1,000 cases of the fish, as a laboratory worked to identify the pills. Results of the tests are expected early next week. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Pennsylvania authorities, and the company are investigating the incident.

A New Freedom, Pa., woman said she had bitten into one of the pills and her 9-year-old daughter found another pill in the fish, the wire service said. Neither person got sick, and both were checked out at a local hospital. The pills were described as beige and about the size of an aspirin.

The recall affects Gorton's 6 Crispy Battered Fish Fillets in 11.4-ounce packages. The UPC code is 44400157770, with a date code of 7289G1 and a best-if-used-by date of April 2009.

In addition to Pennsylvania, the fish also was distributed in: Alabama, Delaware, California, Florida, Georgia, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas.

For more information, contact Gorton's at 800-896-9479.

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FDA: Inhaler Capsules Mistakenly Being Swallowed

Some consumers prescribed respiratory inhalers that include capsules full of medicine are mistakenly swallowing the capsules instead of inhaling the contents, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warned.

The Spiriva HandiHaler and the Foradil Aerolizer are prescribed to people with asthma and other chronic respiratory diseases, the Associated Press reported. The FDA said it has received several reports of people swallowing the capsules, which will do nothing to assist breathing. The only proper way to use the capsules is to inhale the contents with the inhalers.

The FDA "indicated that not many of the patients who swallowed the capsules reported side effects," the AP reported.