Pharmaceutical giant Aurobindo Pharma USA is recalling two lots of a blood pressure medication it makes after they were found to contain an impurity linked to an increased cancer risk, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced.
The tablets, which contain quinapril and hydrochlorothiazide, commonly used to treat hypertension, are being pulled off the shelf for containing high levels of nitrosamine. The compound isn't dangerous in low levels but can elevate risk of cancer if high amounts are taken over a long period of time.
Qualanex, a trade return management service, "will be notifying its distributors and customers by phone and in writing to immediately discontinue distribution of the specific lots being recalled and to notify their sub-accounts," the notice read, adding that "Aurobindo Pharma USA, Inc. is arranging for return of all recalled products to Qualanex."
The affected tables are "pink colored, scored, round shaped, biconvex, film-coated tablets, debossed with 'D' on the scored side and '19' on the other side," according to the advisory.
"Patients should contact their doctor or health care provider about whether to continue taking their medication, or whether to consider an alternative treatment prior to returning their medication," the FDA insisted.
The recall comes just three weeks after a packaging mix-up led to the recall of another blood pressure medication and medication designed to lower the risk of having a stroke or severe heart problems, Boston 25 News reported.