The FDA has issued a voluntary recall of medication with the ingredient valsartan, a substance used to treat high blood pressure and heart failure.
The FDA issued a statement on July 13th:
"This recall is due to an impurity, N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA), which was found in the recalled products. However, not all products containing valsartan are being recalled. NDMA is classified as a probable human carcinogen (a substance that could cause cancer) based on results from laboratory tests. The presence of NDMA was unexpected and is thought to be related to changes in the way the active substance was manufactured."
The following medications have been recalled:
- Valsartan - Major Pharmaceuticals
- Valsartan - Solco Healthcare
- Valsartan - Teva Pharmaceuticals Industries Ltd.
- Valsartan/Hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) - Solco Healthcare
- Valsartan/Hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) - Teva Pharmaceuticals Industries Ltd.
For more information, visit the FDA's website.