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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!
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99 thoughts onPfizer Halts Distribution of Chantix After Finding Carcinogen
I took chantix as well june ,july 2021 , very upset stomach every day, dry mouth, nero transmitters are totally dead, I called the pharmacy when I recieved a letter of recall, no refund or anything
Yes I had bad side effects, dreams, stomach issues, anxiety, yet I continued to take it because I needed to quit smoking, well it worked I quit, and unfortunately I started again. I put up with the side effects to stop. Now they say it may cause cancer, what rotten luck
The side effects where so bad and I was researching and couldn’t find out why. Now I know why.
I thought it was just the side effects. I was getting so sick daily.
I have been taking this product for a year until I got so sick, side affects are hoy
I finally broke down and took Chantix. It didn’t help me to quit. Now I hear about this and I am so angry. This should not have happened in this day and age. I would like to hear more about filing a lawsuit. Should I get a lawyer myself?? Never done this before but I will persue it. Keep me posted please.
It would not let me sign
I took this to try and stop smoking. My stomic has been upset since then. I am been tried all of the time. Headaches have incressed. I got my letter in the mail. And went to the pharmacy a d was told to hold in to the letters. Not sure what else to do. Was told there are not short term effects only cancer.
Please see petition above in regards to recall.
My husband tried twice in the last 2 1/2 years to quit smoking using chantix. Now we are going thru/fighting cancer of the throat. I cant find out where to look up what kind of cancer is caused by chantix. If you could give me more information about this please contact me.
I got lung cancer wonder if it was caused by chantix had part of my lung took off
Please add me I have been taking Chantix for awhile now. I have really bad depression and have had thoughts of killing myself for awhile now and didn’t understand why I have seen and talked to a therapist about this. Now all of a sudden I get a letter in the mail about the recall of the medication that I was taking. Please help me