'Zantac' may cause cancer, being pulled from shelves in USA but not in Pakistan

• Food and Drug Administration in US had issued warning of drug containing carcinogen ingredients.
• Canada, France and other countries have already suspended selling of drug.

Pharmacy chains in the United States have suspended the sale of heartburn medication Zantac after the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a warning that the drug contained potentially cancer-causing ingredients.

The pharmacy chains Walgreens, Rite Aid and CVS have announced that they are no longer selling Zantac and other ranitidine products. Rite Aid is in the process of removing Zantac and generic versions sold under the Rite Aid name from its shelves, a Rite Aid spokesman told New York Times.

CVS has already announced that it has suspended the sale of all Zantac brand and CVS Health brand ranitidine products until further notice. "Zantac brand products and CVS brand ranitidine products have not been recalled, and the FDA is not recommending that patients stop taking ranitidine at this time," the CVS said.

Since the alert by FDA, Canada, France and other countries have removed the drugs from pharmacy shelves. Bangladesh also issued a temporary ban on the import, production and sale of ranitidine.

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Ranitidine is a medication that works to lower the acid created in the stomach. The drug is also prescribed to prevent ulcers of the stomach and intestines as well as gastroesophageal reflux disease.

Last month, the FDA issued a statement alerting patients and health care professionals of N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) found in samples of ranitidine. "The U.S. FDA has learned that some ranitidine medicines, including some products commonly known as the brand-name drug Zantac, contain a nitrosamine impurity called N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) at low levels," the statement said.

NDMA is classified as a probable human carcinogen which is a substance that could cause cancer on the basis of animal studies. It is known environmental contaminant and found in water and foods, including meats, dairy products and vegetables.