For the second time in a year: Pfizer is recalling a common drug for fear it is carcinogenic
High blood pressure is one of the most common medical conditions in the world and it causes a lot of illness.
It now turns out that a Pfizer drug that treats the condition may contain carcinogens.
Here are all the details
Walla!
health
24/03/2022
Thursday, 24 March 2022, 10:56 Updated: 12:23
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Pfizer is recognized by all of us for corona vaccines, but it is a huge pharmaceutical company that deals with the treatment of many different diseases.
A few days ago, the company released a recall for a high blood pressure drug distributed under three names.
The suspicion: it contains carcinogenic ingredients.
Accuretic and its two generic versions - quinapril and quinapril hydrochlorothiazide tablets - are subject to recall.
The drugs treat high blood pressure, which increases the risk of dangerous cardiovascular events, such as stroke.
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To the full article
The reason for the return is that the tablets contain higher levels of nitrosamines, ingredients that can cause cancer, although Pfizer said in a press release that "there is no immediate risk to patients taking this drug."
Lots of people need a medicine to lower their blood pressure.
Measuring blood pressure (Photo: ShutterStock)
"Nitrosamines are common in water and foods, including cooked and roasted meats, dairy products and vegetables. They are all exposed to a certain level of nitrosamines. Nitrosamines can increase the risk of cancer if people are exposed to them above acceptable levels over long periods of time," Pfizer said.
Nitrosamines may inadvertently enter drugs due to certain chemical reactions in the manufacturing process.
The company said it was unaware of any reports of adverse effects resulting from the use of the drug, adding that the products have a safety profile set for more than 20 years, according to the publication.
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Still, distributors and wholesalers should stop selling and distributing the drugs immediately, the message said, and Pfizer recommended that patients taking the drug consult their doctor about alternative treatment options.
This is not the first time the company has called for the return of its drugs following a suspicion of the presence of nitrosamines.
In June 2021, Pfizer found nitrosamines at levels that exceed the normal range in several batches of Champix - a drug known to prevent smoking.
"It should be noted that these substances are also found in low levels in certain foods and water, and are not expected to cause harm to humans when consumed in small quantities," the then Ministry of Health said in a statement.
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