Did you eat one too many nachos or tacos? Drink one too many sodas or cans of beer? Maybe you are stricken daily with heartburn, stomach ulcers or an acid reflux disease.
Whatever the case, you count on Zantac or a generic version of the drug to calm your ailments and uncomfortable stomach acid or ulcers.
For the time being, you’ll have to find another source of relief.
Amid fears of cancer risk, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has chosen to recall numerous generic versions of Zantac (ranitidine) at Walgreens, CVS, Walmart and Rite-Aid. Not all generic heartburn medications are facing a recall.
Walgreens and CVS have also ceased the selling of actual Zantac. The two pharmaceutical companies that have recalled the most product are Appco Pharma LLC and Denton Pharma, Inc.
The FDA is not calling for people to stop using the drug completely. Those that are not facing recall are currently deemed safe for use.
The carcinogen in question is called NDMA and commonly shows up in many industrial and natural occurrences. It often causes cancer to lab animals. The World Health Organization has labeled it as a probable human carcinogen. While speaking to ABC News, Dr. William Mitch, a civil and environmental engineering professor at Stanford University, states that it’s a probable carcinogen for humans because it “modifies your DNA.”
If you do decide to continue using the heartburn and acid reflux relieving drug, it’s essential first to contact your doctor if you are taking a prescribed version. If you purchase over the counter relievers, do your research to make sure you are taking tablets that are safe for your health.
If you feel that you have fallen victim to an illness or injury due to Zantac or its generic version, you deserve protection that will seek adequate compensation.