April 20, 2022
Zantac, a heartburn medication that became a household name after its release in 1983, was discontinued in 2020 after a small pharmacy startup called Valisure tested its active ingredient, ranitidine. They discovered alarmingly high amounts of a chemical called N-Nitrosodimethylamine, or NDMA.
NDMA is a natural chemical classified as a “probable” human carcinogen by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). It is found in air, water, food, tobacco and beauty products, but usually in tiny amounts easily broken down by humans.
Ranitidine is in a class of drugs known as H2 blockers. The over-the-counter version relieves heartburn symptoms by reducing stomach acid. The prescription version treats heartburn as well as more serious gastrointestinal problems such as ulcers, overproduction of stomach acid and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requested the removal of Zantac from shelves after additional research found that long-term storage of the drug in humid environments – such as keeping it in your medicine cabinet and only using it as needed – can increase the levels of NDMA past acceptable daily levels.
Zantac users can now purchase Zantac 360, a new ranitidine-free version launched in 2021.
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