Top Class Actions’s website and social media posts use affiliate links. If you make a purchase using such links, we may receive a commission, but it will not result in any additional charges to you. Please review our Affiliate Link Disclosure for more information.
Pharmaceutical company Pfizer has halted distribution of Chantix after finding elevated levels of a carcinogen in some lots of the popular anti-smoking drug.
The drug maker announced Thursday, June 24, that it had discovered levels of N-nitrosodimethylamine — a known cancer-causing agent that is also known as NDMA — that are above an “acceptable” level of daily intake, and has begun running tests, Stat reported.
According to Reuters, Pfizer is recalling affected lots, and said the pause in distribution is out of an abundance of caution.
“The benefits of Chantix outweigh the very low potential risks, if any, posed by nitrosamine exposure from varenicline on top of other common sources over a lifetime,” Pfizer spokesperson Steven Danehy told Reuters in an email.
The FDA has not recalled Chantix as of June 25, but Canadian health authorities did issue a recall for Champix, the drug’s name in that country, on June 8.
It’s far from the first time a drug or other product has been recalled for higher-than-expected levels of carcinogens. The FDA issued a warning about NDMA in ranitidine drugs, including the heartburn medication Zantac, in September 2019. Zantac was later voluntarily recalled by the manufacturer before the FDA issued a widespread recall request for ranitidine medications.
And in May, independent lab Valisure asked the FDA to remove 78 sunscreens from the market after detecting benzene, another known carcinogen.
Have you purchased Chantix and are now worried about carcinogens potentially being present in the drug? Let us know in the comments!
Don’t Miss Out!
Check out our list of Class Action Lawsuits and Class Action Settlements you may qualify to join!
Read About More Class Action Lawsuits & Class Action Settlements:
- Philips Endangered Consumers With Its Sleep and Respiratory Care Devices, Class Action Alleges
- Does Asbestos Occur Naturally in Talc?
- Suave Hair Products’ Ingredient Causes Hair Loss, Scalp Irritation, Class Action Alleges
- Neutrogena Sunscreen Contaminated With Chemical Linked to Leukemia, Class Action Alleges
99 thoughts onPfizer Halts Distribution of Chantix After Finding Carcinogen
Please add me! I have been taking it for smoking cessation but had to stop because of side effects. Now, I received the product recall
Please Every one Sign the petition to have Pfizer investigated, if we have enough signatures we can see movement on the recall. It wont let me post the link but go to change.org and look up petition to have Pfizer investigated for Chantix recall. Or copy and paste the hyper text above . Thanks guys we can do this!
Please add me!!! My doctor just put me on chantix again for the sixth time within 4 years I have horrible depression from it but I keep trying to take it because supposedly it works so well? This is the second time there has been a settlement in a class action against this medicine and I just found that out about an hour ago…
I tried to kill my self over and over again/ I hope we can get some help /I have dr’s advised me to call a lawyer
Add me I ended having medical issues. Was
I was on my second week dosage when I heard the news about this. I’ve take Chantix 3 times within the last 3 years.
I have been prescribed this Chantix for close to 4 years by several doctors. Always had some side effects such as breathing difficulty, headaches, chest pains, and withdrawal after running out. Also developed intestinal problems, UTI’s but doctors or pharmacy have not warned me verbally of any danger of taking this drug. I have smoked cigarettes for more than 50 years and really hoped this would eventually work but only helped me slow down from 3 packs to 2 packs a day. Now I read it causes cancer. That’s a real slap in the face to find this out after the fact. Please sign me up!!
Add me my doctor prescribed me this medication to stop smoking and it only made me sick
Oh yes ADD me to this I have taken this a couple different times and oh I know it makes you sick. I’ll be going to my doctor and find out what is causing my kidney problems
I took chantix and had to stop. It made me sick. After process of elimination with dr., it was determined this was the problem. IT WAS!!! AN EXPENSIVE PRODUCT AND YOU CAN’T RETURN IT TO THE PHARMACY BECAUSE IT MAKES YOU ILL. SO SICK OF IT.
Add me to the list. I had been taking it for around 5 months this year