REUTERS: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and international health authorities are investigating the safety of Zantac heartburn medicine, also sold generically as ranitidine, after finding a probable cancer-causing impurity in the drug.
Ranitidine is the newest drug in which presence of cancer causing impurities have been found. Regulators have been recalling some blood pressure and heart failure medicines since last year.Glaxo Holdings Ltd, now a part of GlaxoSmithKline PLC, receives its first U.S. FDA approval for Zantac as a short-term treatment of a common form of ulcers. The drug was already approved in 31 different countries.
Novartis AG's Sandoz Unit, which makes generic drugs, says it is halting the distribution of its versions of Zantac in all markets, while Canada requests drugmakers selling ranitidine to stop distribution.Drugstore chain CVS Health Corp says it will stop selling Zantac and its own generic ranitidine products. Walmart Inc, Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc and Rite Aid Corp have also moved to remove the drugs off their shelves.