WASHINGTON – Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc. will remove all versions of Zantac from its stores’ shelves as health regulators investigate a probable carcinogen detected in the popular stomach drugs.
Some Zantac products, known in generic form as ranitidine, have been recalled in the United States, but pharmacies are beginning to halt sales of all the drugs until more is known about the levels of the carcinogen. On Saturday, CVS Health Corp. said it would stop selling all branded Zantac as well as its store brand ranitidine products.
Rhode Island FC To Offer Local Businesses Top-Notch Networking Opportunities in 2025
The perfect atmosphere for entertaining clients or hosting employees, The Stadium at Tidewater Landing will…
Learn More
CVS said in a statement Saturday that it had suspended the sale of all branded Zantac and generics sold under the CVS label “out of an abundance of caution.” Sanofi’s Zantac and the generic version sold under the CVS name haven’t been recalled.
Phil Caruso, a spokesman for Walgreens, told Bloomberg in an email Monday that the pharmacy chain would no longer be stocking the products. French pharmaceutical company Sanofi makes branded Zantac. Walgreens store-brand ranitidine was recalled last week by generic drugmaker Apotex Inc., which manufacturers the drug that is then packaged and labeled by the drugstore chain. Apotex also recalled ranitidine made for Walmart Inc. and Rite Aid Corp.
Novartis AG’s Sandoz unit recalled generic prescription ranitidine in the U.S. last week after detecting elevated levels of the carcinogen NDMA. The carcinogen is the same one that last year sparked a recall in about 30 countries of millions of blood-pressure pills called angiotensin II receptor blockers.
Novartis, GlaxoSmithKline PLC, and Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories Ltd. have halted global distribution of their versions of Zantac. French regulators, meanwhile, have ordered a recall of all Zantac and its generics available in pharmacies there.
Anna Edney is a reporter for Bloomberg News.
