The contract manufacturer began the recall of 3500 units of the kit in November, after receiving three customer complaints of leakage from the packets.

The kits are carried by members of the military and are intended to remove chemical warfare agents and harmful T-2 toxin from the skin.

Emergent said that so far no serious injuries or deaths related to the issue were reported.

FDA says the leakage could cause loss or drying out of the lotion content, reducing the effectiveness of the kit and prolonged exposure to the leaked lotion.

Damaged lotion content could also make an individual, already exposed to chemical warfare, more vulnerable to health hazards.

Emergent did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

(Reporting by Aditya Samal; Editing by Anil D'Silva)