On July 13, 2018, the FDA issued a recall of Valsartan, a drug prescribed to treat high blood pressure, after it was found to contain a carcinogen called N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA).
Valsartan has been approved as a treatment for high blood pressure in adults and children age six and up. It is also approved for adults to treat heart failure and reduce the risk of death after a heart attack.
Recalled Valsartan products include:
- Valsartan – Major Pharmaceuticals
- Valsartan – Solco Healthcare
- Valsartan – Teva Pharmaceuticals Industries Ltd.
- Valsartan/Hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) – Solco Healthcare
- Valsartan/Hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) – Teva Pharmaceuticals Industries Ltd.
The Valsartan was supplied by a Chinese company, Zhejiang Huahai Pharmaceuticals. Investigators found NDMA contamination of Valsartan within Zhejiang Huahai Pharmaceuticals plant. It is believed that the NDMA has been contaminating Valsartan since 2012 when the company began producing NDMA as a by-product.
NDMA is a very dangerous carcinogen, often used in rocket fuel. Even short-term exposure can cause serious injuries, such as liver damage. Long-term damage can lead to an increased risk of breast cancer, liver cancer, stomach cancer, colorectal cancer, intestinal cancer, esophageal cancer, kidney cancer, pharyngeal cancer, prostate cancer, pancreatic cancer, uterine cancer non-hodgkin’s lymphoma, leukemia, and multiple myeloma.
If you or a loved one contracted cancer after taking Valsartan, please contact our dangerous drug attorneys at GoldenbergLaw. Our attorneys have over 30 years of experience and have successfully litigated dangerous drug litigations. Call us now. You’ll sleep better.