FDA wants heartburn meds off the market due to contamination – By Matthew Perrone (AP) / April 1 2020
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is telling drugmakers to immediately pull a type of heartburn drug off the market due to contamination with a chemical that may cause cancer
WASHINGTON — U.S. health regulators are telling drugmakers to immediately pull their popular heartburn drugs off the market after determining that a contamination issue with the medications poses a greater risk than previously thought.
The move from the Food and Drug Administration Wednesday applies to all prescription and over-the-counter versions of ranitidine, best known by the brand name Zantac. The drugs are widely used to treat stomach acid and ulcers.
Patients should stop taking any of the medications they currently have and throw them away, the FDA said.
The agency last year said patients could continue taking the medications and did not face health risks from contamination with a “probable” cancer-causing chemical found in multiple brands.
But officials reversed that decision, saying they’ve now determined that levels of the chemical increase over time, especially if tablets and capsules are stored at higher temperatures. That poses an unacceptable risk to patients, they said.
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