Cancer Cells Detected in Ulcers, Heartburn Drug as NDA Raises Red Flag

By Max Patrick Ocaido

The National Drug Authority (NDA) has raised a red flag on consumption of Ranitidine, a medicine prescribed for treating ulcers and heartburns.

The Authority warns that Ranitidine also known as Zantac has N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) a substance which is not good for health consumption because it contains cancer cells.

“NDA has received reports from the United States and Drug Authority that Ranitidine, a medicine prescribed for ulcers and heartburns contains a substance known as N-nitrosodimethylamine at high levels. N-nitrosodimethylamine at high levels is not safe for human consumption and is classified as a probable human carcinogen,” reads a statement released by Nahamya, Secretary to NDA.

Carcinogen is any substance, radionuclide, or radiation that promotes carcinogenesis, the formation of cancer. This may be due to the ability to damage the genome or to the disruption of cellular metabolic processes.

Nahamya has said that NDA is working with all the relevant stakeholders to ascertain the levels of NDMA in the Ranitidine on the market and “shall take appropriate action on the results obtained.”

As a result, NDA has warned consumers of Ranitindine medicine to stop using it and opt for other options with guidance from a physician.

On September 13, 2019, The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), a federal agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services announced that preliminary tests indeed found low levels of N-nitrosodimethylamine in ranitidine and that drug has been recalled from American market.

The Harvard Medical School on October 01, 2019 published that whereas NDMA in ranitidine products does not pose any immediate health risks, NDMA may cause cancer only after exposure to high doses over a long period of time. Currently, Neither the FDA nor Novartis/Sandoz or Apotex have received “any reports of adverse events related to NDMA found in ranitidine although it is classified as a probable carcinogen.”