Health Canada has updated and enlarged its recall notice regarding the blood pressure drug, valsartan.
Eight more products have been added to the list as a precaution.
The drug is used to control blood pressure for those at risk of heart attacks or stroke, and may also be prescribed for those who recently suffered a heart attack or failure.
The recall is for drugs produced by a Chinese company which may have been tainted with an impurity called NDMA (N-nitrosodimethylamine). NDMA is listed as a “probable” human carcinogen.
The concern is that it could increase the risk of cancer if used over long periods of time.
The drug valsartan is used to control blood pressure, but several lots have been recalled due to an impurity which may cause cancer (Canadian Press)
It is important to note that not all Valsartan drugs are part of the recall as they were not sourced at the Chinese company.
The latest recall includes drug lots made by Teva, one of the larger pharmaceutical companies in Canada in terms of sales.
The list also includes lots by ACT, Sandoz, Sanis, Pro Doc Ltee., and Sivam The complete list is on the Health Canada website- HERE
Health Canada says the impurity may have been introduced at the Chinese plant when they changed a manufacturing process in 2012
US expands recall to product from India
In the US, the Federal Drug Administration expanded its recall of valsartan drugs to now include product from a plant in India which has a process similar to the Chinese company, Zhejiang Huahai Pharmaceuticals.
Health Canada says patients should not stop taking valsartan, but should contact their doctors or pharmacist for advice.
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