McNeil Consumer Healthcare, the Johnson & Johnson subsidiary that makes Tylenol, filed a guilty plea to a federal district court in Philadelphia of selling liquid medicine contaminated with metal. The drug maker also agreed to pay a fine of $25 million to the US Department of Justice for selling adulterated medication for children and infants.

In 2009, McNeil received complaints that some bottles of infants’ Tylenol had unusual particles, but it did not investigate the complaints. The company not only didn’t probe, it also did not initiate or complete a corrective action plan, notes the Wall Street Journal.

It led to inspections by the US Food and Drug Administration of McNeil facilities. It also triggered Congressional inquiries into how Johnson & Johnson handles quality control issues. The inspections led to products recalls.

McNeil rolled out recalls in 2010 of over-the-counter drugs, which included Infants’ Tylenol and Children’s Motrin, reports Time. From 2008 through 2010, McNeil had recalled millions of bottles of Tylenol, Motrin, Benadryl and other drugs because of metal particles that contaminated the liquid medicines.

With the admission of guilt and payment of fine, a McNeil spokeswoman said the pharmaceutical firm closed a chapter and that it is now “implementing enhanced quality and oversight standards across its entire business.”

However, WSJ points out that the episode isn’t over yet because a key manufacturing facility in Fort Washington, Pennsylvania – part of a consent decree that Johnson & Johnson reached in 2011 with the federal government – isn’t back in service.

The manufacturing giant is rehabilitating the plant and claims that a third party expert had certified to the FDA that it conforms to government regulatory requirements. McNeil is also located in the Pennsylvania property.

To contact the writer, email: v.hernandez@ibtimes.com.au

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