Pfizer is forced to recall a drug used to treat high blood pressure after pills were found to be contaminated with cancer-causing compounds
Pharmaceutical giant Pfizer is recalling five batches of its high blood pressure drug Accupril after it was found to contain cancer-causing chemicals.
The recall comes after investigations revealed batches of the drug contained elevated levels of a cancer-causing compound, nitrosamine. Announced on March 22nd, it includes five batches of pills, each containing 90 bottles.
Pfizer says those bottles may have been broken up into smaller prescriptions and has urged any doctor or pharmacist who has dealt with the shipments in question to contact them immediately.
The drugs were distributed in the United States and Puerto Rico between December 2019 and April 2022, according to a Pfizer press release.
In the statement, Pfizer described the recall as “voluntary.”
A statement from Pfizer called the recall “voluntary.”
Accupril works by widening the blood vessels, which allows blood to flow more freely and the heart to work more efficiently
The bottles contain 90 pills and are prescribed in 10mg, 20mg, and 40mg increments. The number of pills per bottle can be divided into smaller amounts.
In Canada, Pfizer had previously announced a similar recall after finding the same contaminant to be above acceptable levels.
A Canadian government statement said that people who take nitrosamine at acceptable levels or less for 70 years “do not expect an increased risk of cancer.”
The company said in announcing the recall that it had not received any reports of specific incidents related to the drug. The giant also stressed that there is no immediate risk for patients already taking the drug.
Nitrosamines are commonly found in water, foods such as smoked and cured meats, and dairy products. However, exposure above acceptable levels for prolonged periods may increase the risk of cancer.
The drug Accupril has already been recalled in Canada. Pfizer has urged those who have taken the drug to contact their doctor to determine if they have been exposed to the bad batch
Accuril works by reducing the chemicals that constrict blood vessels. This allows blood to flow more smoothly and allows the heart to work more efficiently.
Common side effects of the drug include muscle and joint pain, sensitivity to light, dry cough, and dizziness.
In 2019, there were 1.3 million active Accupril prescriptions in the United States, according to Clinical Calculators.
This is Pfizer’s second recall in six weeks, after the company recalled blood pressure drug Accuretic in early March over apparent accelerated nitrosamine levels.
An FDA recall statement instructed patients taking this product to contact their doctor or pharmacy to determine if they have the affected product.
Patients with the affected product should contact Sedgwick at 888-345-0481 (Mon-Fri 8am-5pm ET) for instructions on how to return their product and receive a refund.
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