A New York resident recently filed a new valsartan lawsuit against the drug’s manufacturer, Solco Healthcare, along with the pharmacy where she purchased the medication.

The plaintiff involved in this new valsartan lawsuit, Elizabeth D., alleges that she was prescribed a valsartan-containing medication, and purchased it from her local pharmacy. Unfortunately, she later learned that the drug had been recalled due to contamination with NDMA.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced a voluntary recall of valsartan-containing drugs in July 2018 due to a reported impurity. According to the FDA, valsartan drugs may have been tainted with the chemical NDMA (N-nitrosodimethylamine). The FDA considers NDMA to be a probable carcinogen, or substance capable of causing cancer.

The plaintiff alleges that upon learning of this recall through the internet, she called her pharmacy, Throggs Neck Pharmacy. A staff member allegedly told her that her medication had been contaminated and affected by the recall, and instructed her to bring it back in exchange for a new, uncontaminated one. By this point, Elizabeth says she had already been taking the contaminated and recalled valsartan drug for quite some time.

According to Elizabeth’s valsartan lawsuit, she was not adequately informed of the valsartan drug recall or the risks associated with the contaminant.

Elizabeth filed her valsartan lawsuit on Aug. 16, 2018, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. The lawsuit was filed as a class action on multiple counts, including breach of express and implied warranties, fraud, manufacturing defect, gross negligence, and several others.

Background of Valsartan

Valsartan blood pressure medication (the generic equivalent to the brand drug Diovan) is manufactured by Zhejiang Huahai Pharmaceuticals in China.

Valsartan is part of a class of hypertension drugs known as angiotensin II receptor agonists. Valsartan is distributed by a number of manufacturers, including Solco Healthcare, Major Pharmaceuticals, Teva Pharmaceuticals, and others. Valsartan was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug administration (FDA) as a treatment for high blood pressure. It’s been approved for use in children ages six and up. In adults, it has been approved to treat heart failure, as well as to reduce the risk of death for patients during recovery from a heart attack.

The FDA Valsartan Drug Recall

Unfortunately, valsartan blood pressure medications have been linked with some serious risks, including cancer and liver damage. Zhejiang Huahai Pharmaceuticals announced that it discovered traces of NDMA in valsartan manufactured in its plant in China. NDMA is an impurity that is considered a “probable human carcinogen,” or substance capable of causing cancer.

The valsartan drug recall was announced in July 2018, when the FDA informed the public that it had asked manufacturers of generic valsartan to issue a voluntary recall for the medication, taking it off the U.S. market. Valsartan drugs have also been recalled in 22 other countries.

Filing a Valsartan Lawsuit

If you or someone you love has suffered side effects like cancer after taking valsartan, this may be caused by the NDMA impurity, and you may be able to pursue litigation. Filing a valsartan lawsuit cannot take away the pain and suffering caused by these complications, but it can help to alleviate the financial burden caused by medical expenses and lost wages. A pharmaceutical products attorney can help you recover compensation.

The Valsartan Lawsuit is Case No. 1:18-cv-07460-RJS, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.