Popular heartburn drug ranitidine (Zantac) recalled: What you need to know and do

If you or a family member take ranitidine (Zantac) to relieve heartburn, you may have heard that the FDA has found a probable human carcinogen (a substance that could cause cancer) in it. The story is unfolding quickly and many details remain murky. Here is what we know so far and what you should do. What do we know so far? On September 13, 2019, the FDA announced that preliminary tests found low levels of N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) in ranitidine, a heartburn medication used by millions of Americans. This week, the drug companies Novartis (through its generic division, Sandoz) and Apotex announced that they were recalling all of their generic ranitidine products sold in the US. These announcements came after a Connecticut-based online pharmacy informed the FDA that it had detected NDMA in multiple ranitidine products under certain test conditions. Update, October 1, 2019: Major drugstore chains including CVS and Walgreens are pulling Zantac and other generic versions of the heartburn drug ranitidine from their shelves. You can get FDA updates here. What is ranitidine and which products are affected? Ranitidine (also known by its brand name, Zantac, which is sold by the drug company Sanofi) is available both over the counter (OTC) and by prescription. It belongs to the class of drugs known as H2 (or histamine-2) blockers. OTC ranitidine is commonly used to relieve and prevent heartburn. Prescription strengths are also used to treat and prevent more serious ulcers in the sto...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Digestive Disorders Drugs and Supplements Health Source Type: blogs