Topeka Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing with an Alert on Cancer-Causing Chemical Found in Zantac

In mid-September, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) alerted people that low levels of a “probable human carcinogen” referred to as NDMA was found in Zantac, a popular over-the-counter heartburn medication, and in several generic equivalents of the drug ranitidine.

NDMA is the same ingredient that led to several blood pressure medications being recalled.  

Large Drugstore Chains No Longer Selling Products

While the FDA is not yet calling for any recalls, popular drug store chains CVS and Walgreens announced that they will no longer sell Zantac or other ranitidine medications. 

If you have purchased these products at either store, you can get a refund. Other heartburn medication options that remain on CVS and Walgreens shelves include Pepcid and Tagamet, as they do not contain ranitidine. 

FDA Concludes a Recall is Not Yet Necessary

The FDA has stopped short of saying that people should stop taking these medications, as it hasn’t been determined that the levels of NDMA found in the affected medications is high enough to potentially cause cancer in people.

“Patients should be able to trust that their medicines are as safe as they can be and that the benefits of taking them outweigh any risk to their health,” Dr. Janet Woodcock, director of the FDA Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, wrote in the statement. “Although NDMA may cause harm in large amounts, the levels the FDA is finding in ranitidine from preliminary tests barely exceed amounts you might expect to find in common foods.”

The FDA advises that if you have any concerns, you should talk to your doctor to discuss other treatment options instead of switching medications on your own.

To learn more about Topeka Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing and all of the services they offer, visit https://centershealthcare.com/topeka_center/.