Zantac Recall of April 2020

On April 1st, 2020, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that it was ordering manufacturers to withdraw all Zantac and generic over-the-counter ranitidine medications from the market immediately. 

The statement released by the administration asserted that the levels of the carcinogenic chemical N-Nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) in Zantac and other ranitidine medications “increases over time and when stored at higher than room temperatures and may result in consumer exposure to unacceptable levels of (NDMA).”

The FDA, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the World Health Organization (WHO) all classify NDMA as a cancer-causing substance.

This recall means that:

• All Zantac and ranitidine products are recalled and removed from the U.S. market under a Class I recall designation– the strictest type– meaning that there is “reasonable probability” that ingesting these products will cause “serious adverse health consequences or death.”
• Doctors and pharmacists are prohibited from prescribing or otherwise distributing ranitidine products. 
• Individuals in the U.S. are prohibited from importing or exporting ranitidine products. 
• Ranitidine is officially indexed by the FDA as a recalled substance to prevent any future attempts at reintroduction into the market. 
• All pharmaceutical manufacturers that manufacture other drugs besides ranitidine are now under stricter guidelines and scrutiny. 

Zantac Alternatives

By issuing a Zantac/ranitidine recall, the FDA was not recommending people stop taking all antacid and heartburn medications. Instead, they are encouraging patients to consider switching to other, safer alternatives for their conditions. 

Patients who previously took prescription ranitidine should speak with a healthcare professional about other treatment options, as there are multiple drugs approved for the same or similar uses as ranitidine that do not carry the same risks from NDMA.

As part of their recall statement, the FDA has suggested the following alternatives to Zantac and other ranitidine drugs:

• Prilosec (omeprazole)
• Nexium (esomeprazole)
• Prevacid (lansoprazole)
• Pepcid (famotidine)
• Tagamet (cimetidine)

Trusted Zantac Attorneys: Van Law Firm

If you or a loved one has had a history of taking Zantac and has since been diagnosed with cancer, be sure to contact the experienced team of Las Vegas Zantac attorneys at Van Law Firm. 

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