Major pharmacy retailers pull heartburn medication Zantac from shelves after FDA detects carcinogens

• Walgreens, CVS, and Rite Aid have announced they are pulling the heartburn medication Zantac and other generic versions from their shelves, citing reports from the Food and Drug Administration of a cancer-causing contaminant in samples of the drug earlier this month.
• The FDA detected low levels of nitrosodimethylamine, which is a type of nitrosamine, in samples of the heartburn drug. Nitrosamines are believed to be carcinogenic to humans.
• While major pharmacy retailers are pulling the heartburn medication from their shelves, the companies that make the drug — including Sanofi, which makes the brand name Zantac — have yet to recall it.
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Walgreens, CVS, and Rite Aid have announced they are pulling the heartburn medication Zantac and other generic versions from their shelves, citing reports from the Food and Drug Administration of a cancer-causing contaminant in samples of the drug earlier this month.

The FDA detected low levels of nitrosodimethylamine, which is a type of nitrosamine, in samples of the heartburn drug, known as ranitidine.

Nitrosamines can "cause tumors in the liver and other organs in lab animals," The New York Times reported, and it is believed to be carcinogenic to humans. Low levels of nitrosamines can also be found in common foods such as fish, beer, fried foods, and meats, according to the National Cancer Institute.

Investigations are ongoing to determine the source of the contamination and how it could affect patients who take it, The Times reported.

Read more: US Food and Drug Administration flags probable cancer-causing impurity in common heartburn drugs

A Walgreens spokesman told The Times that the company intended to keep the heartburn medication off the shelves "while the FDA continues its review of the products." A Rite Aid spokesman echoed a similar sentiment to The Times, saying the company was "removing Zantac and generic versions sold under the Rite Aid name from its shelves."

Walgreens and CVS told The Times that customers who had previously purchased Zantac or other generic forms that were being pulled from the shelves could return the products for a refund, The Times reported.

While major pharmacy retailers are pulling the heartburn medication from their shelves, the companies that make the drug — including Sanofi, which makes the brand name Zantac — have yet to recall the drug.

A representative from Sanofi told The Times that the levels of nitrosodimethylamine found in the drug during preliminary tests "barely exceed amounts found in common foods."

"We are working closely with the FDA and are conducting our own robust investigations to ensure we continue to meet the highest quality safety and quality standards," the company told The Times.

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