Zantac and Cancer Risk

Zantac and Cancer Risk - Pharmaceutical company Sanofi announced today that it is voluntarily withdrawing Zantac because of concerns about chemicals that can cause cancer. This came weeks after the popular heartburn drug, ranitidine, known as Zantac, was found to contain cancer-causing chemicals. Last month, several pharmacies decided to stop selling drugs. CVS and Walgreens no longer sell Zantac and other ranitidine medications.

Cvs currently offers refunds to customers who have just purchased Zantac or other ranitidine medications. Zantac and Cancer Risk - The chain will continue to sell over-the-counter medicines for heartburn such as Pepcid and Tagamet, which do not contain ranitidine.

Although Sanofi issued a withdrawal today, other pharmaceutical companies such as Apotex Corp and Sandoz Inc. announced last month that they voluntarily withdrew all ranitidine-based products sold in the United States due to risk.

Potentially Hazardous Chemicals Detected?

In September, the FDA reported that a small amount of a cancer-causing chemical called N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) was detected in several generic and generic drugs. Zantac and Cancer Risk - Although the FDA has identified carcinogenic substances, the organization did not recommend that people stop taking ranitidine products. See also: Top 5 Causes Of Cancer.

This affects many people who regularly use the ranitidine drug to prevent and treat heartburn, ulcers and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). The FDA is investigating whether the low levels found in the ranitidine drug present health risks. Once the FDA has this information, it will share it. But for now, the agency does not recommend that people stop taking ranitidine.

"While NDMA can cause large amounts of damage, the level found by the FDA's ranitidine in the preliminary test barely exceeds the value you can find in public food," said Janet Woodcock Trusted Source, director of the Evaluation Center and FDA Drug Research, in a statement from Trusted Sources.

What is NDMA?

NDMA is an environmental contaminant found in water along with meat, milk, and vegetables. These are classified as carcinogenic B2, which means carcinogens in humans. Exposure to large amounts of NDMA is thought to cause gastric cancer or colorectal cancer, according to the Trusted World Health Organization Source.

It's too poisonous to the liver. Even small amounts may be linked to liver damage. The chemical has already been used to produce rocket fuel. Zantac and Cancer Risk - Currently, chemicals are used only for research purposes in the United States, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

It is also a byproduct of many manufacturing processes in industrial locations, including leather tanning, pesticide factories, and rubber and tire manufacturers. Chlorination of drinking water and wastewater, which is done by processing plants to purify water, can also inadvertently create NDMA.

Since last year, the FDA has investigated NDMA in certain medications for blood pressure and heart failure, classified as blockers of angiotensin II receptors.

Zantac and Cancer Risk - In July, the agency issued several withdrawals of blood pressure medications from Trusted Source after several NDMAs were found in the drugs valsartan, losartan, and irbesartan. The FDA estimates that if 8,000 people use the highest dose of valsartan withdrawal daily for 4 years, there will be only one additional case of cancer from this group of people.

The FDA emphasizes the importance of continuing to take medications until health professionals can recommend a replacement. If you have side effects after taking this blood pressure medication or heartburn with ranitidine, tell the FDA's Trusted Source of MedWatch program.

The pharmaceutical company Sanofi voluntarily withdrew the medicine for Zantac heartburn. The news came weeks after the FDA announced that the heartburn drug of ranitidine may contain traces of a cancer-causing chemical known as N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA).

Currently, the agency is looking for health risks associated with the number of NDMA identified in the drugs. This will post more information, because of more learning. So far, the FDA has not recommended that people stop taking ranitidine, but anyone who wants to change drugs should talk to their doctor about other treatment options.

What to do? If you are taking medicines with ranitidine, consider choosing another medication, even if it is not necessary at this time. Cimetidine, known as Tagamet, and famotidine, or Pepcid, are two other types of drugs sold without a prescription commonly used to treat heartburn and acid reflux. If you have a prescription, your doctor may recommend other treatment options.