More Valsartan blood-pressure drugs taken off sale
Thursday, August 23, 2018 @ 3:41 PM
MORE batches of the high blood pressure drug Valsartan have been taken off the shelves after tests revealed the presence of N-Nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA), a substance which could be cancerous, in some samples.
Changes in the manufacturing process at the Zhejiang Huahai Pharmaceutical laboratory in China – authorised by the European Directorate of Quality in Medications (EDQM), part of the Council of Europe – involved a fresh battery of tests on drugs containing Valstartan as its principal ingredient or in combination with others.
The traces of NDMA have led to numerous countries being placed on immediate alert.
As a result, the Spanish Medications and Healthcare Products Agency (AEMPS) had already withdrawn several batches in July, but has now announced another list of the drugs are to be taken off sale.
Pharmacies have been warned and anyone taking medication for high blood pressure should check the ingredients carefully on their pill boxes, and return to their GP for a new prescription straight away.
Read more at thinkSPAIN.com