On September 28 , CVS Pharmacy harbinger that it ’s pulling some heartburn medications from its shelves until further placard , follow an alert from the Food and Drug Administration that they may contain a cancer - stimulate ingredient .
CNNreportsthat the medication in interrogative is ranitidine , and CVS will quit selling its store brand version and the more commonly known brand - name version Zantac . Though tests are still ongoing , the FDA has found that Zantac moderate N - nitrosodimethylamine ( NDMA ) , which is a “ probable human carcinogen , ” according to astatementfrom CVS .
CVS ’s voluntary suspension of sales is a “ better safe than sorry ” course of action — the FDA has n’t publish a formalrecallof Zantac / Zantac or even suggested that user break taking the medication . In its financial statement , CVS says that “ the tier [ of NDMA ] that FDA is get in Zantac from preliminary tests barely transcend amounts found in common food . ” According to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry , a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services , NDMA is also found in tobacco plant , recovered nub , beer , fish , cheese , and even the zephyr we breathe [ PDF ] .
Zantac is a character of H2 receptor blocking agent , whichdecreases heartburnand acid reflux symptom by preventing stomach cells from discharge spare Elvis . It is n’t the only H2 sensory receptor blocking agent on the market place , so this might be a good time to consult your healthcare provider or pharmacist about switching to a different one , like Pepcid ( famotidine ) or Tagamet ( cimetidine ) .
The FDA said in astatementthat it will retain investigate the potential risk of taking ranitidine and share its findings when available .
[ h / tCNN ]
