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In our prior post in August 2018, we told you about a recall by the US Food and Drug Administration on the prescription blood pressure medicine, Valsartan. The drug has been under a voluntary recall since July 2018. It is manufactured by many different companies, and thus far has been determined to be safely consumed from others. However, the FDA has now released information claiming to have found a second known cancer causing ingredient in three lots manufactured by Torrent Pharmaceuticals.
The first ingredient found to taint the drug was N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA). The new found impurity is N-Nitrosodiethylamine (NDEA). While not all lots have been found to be contaminated, NDEA was also found in some manufactured by Zhejiang Huahai Pharmaceuticals, which was also the manufacturer of the products found to contain NDMA. These impurities can be caused by chemical reactions, and are also used in the manufacturing of rocket fuel, pesticides, and fish processing. They are both cancer causing agents in humans.
The FDA is committed to providing the public with up-to-date information on this ongoing investigation. It is possible that a doctor can switch a patient to a version of the drug produced by a different company.
As previously recommended, any patient who has been negatively affected by the consumption of this drug may benefit from speaking with a personal injury attorney who can determine if there is a claims register to which the patient should be added, or if further litigation is necessary. Pharmaceutical companies will sometimes be ordered by a court to set aside funds to compensate injured parties.
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