As more recalls on popular blood pressure medications rollout, users should check their prescriptions bottles and see if their medication has been recalled. Valsartan, Losartan, and Irbesartan are the Angiotensin II Receptor Blockers (ARBs) being recalled depending on the dosage, manufacturer and lot number.  The list of affected medications is not complete because the FDA is still undertaking testing of all ARBs to see if they are contaminated with the carcinogens. To see if the medication you are taking has been tested yet, and if so, what the results were, click here.

This week Teva Pharmaceuticals's voluntary recall list has expanded. Earlier in April, it recalled 35 lots of Losartan; now it has recalled an additional six lots possibly affected by the carcinogen.

The original recall states: “Based on the available information, the risk of developing cancer in a few patients following long-term use of the product cannot be ruled out”.

Teva, along with many other manufacturers, has been called on to account as to why this has occurred and to provide compensation to those who have been harmed by the medication. 

The recalls which have been coming since July 2018 are the result of contamination with cancer-causing substances  during the formulatiion process. Three substances found to have contaminated many lots of Valsartan are N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA), N-Nitrosodiethylamine (NDEA), and/or N-Methylnitrosobutyric acid (NMBA). 

A 2018 study in Denmark showed a 9% increased risk for cancer for people who ingested Valsartan contaminated with NDMA. Short term risks are still being evaluated, but the long term effects such as liver damage, stomach cancer, kidney cancer and colon cancer have been scientifically linked to the use of the contaminated drugs for longer than 6 months. 

Search the full list of recalled angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARB) below by company, medicine, National Drug Code (NDC), lot number , or expiration date.

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with liver damage or gastrointestinal cancer after extended exposure to Valsartan, Losartan, and Irbesartan, please call today for a free consultation at (212)-566-1000.