Novartis halts distribution of its Zantac versions amid probe into impurities

REUTERS: Novartis AG's Sandoz unit said on Wednesday it was halting distribution of its versions of the drug commonly known as Zantac in all its markets, including the United States and Canada, after contaminants were found in the heartburn drug.

The Swiss drugmaker's steps follow an investigation by U.S. and European regulators into the presence of the impurity, N-nitrosodimethylamine , in the drug, ranitidine, and a distribution halt in Canada announced late Tuesday.Health Canada said it had requested makers of the drug to stop distribution as it gathers more information and consults with international health regulators.

Branded versions of the drug such as Sanofi SA's Zantac are available for over-the-counter sale in Canada, while generic versions are available for sale both OTC and with prescription. A distribution halt is different from a recall and means that existing stock of the drugs in pharmacies or stores can still be sold.

Neither the U.S. Food and Drug Administration nor the European Medicines Agency had asked patients to stop taking the drug when the regulators said last week they were reviewing the safety of ranitidine.Novartis said in an emailed statement its step was precautionary and adequate measures"will be implemented in alignment with relevant health authorities as required."

Singapore Latest News, Singapore Headlines

Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.

Tiong Seng CEO, project director out on bail amid graft probe involving 'staff loan transactions'SINGAPORE - Mainboard-listed Tiong Seng Holdings said on Tuesday (Sept 17) that its chief executive and executive director Pek Lian Guan and project director Pay Teow Heng are on bail amid a corruption probe.. Read more at straitstimes.com.
Source: The Straits Times - 🏆 8. / 63 Read more »

Juul's sales halted in China days after launchU.S. e-cigarette maker Juul Labs Inc said on Tuesday its products were not currently available on e-commerce web sites in China, days after it ...
Source: ChannelNewsAsia - 🏆 6. / 66 Read more »

Amazon starts hiring own drivers in German last-mile delivery pushAmazon has begun hiring its own drivers in Germany and plans to open 11 more distribution centers to expand its delivery business in its second ...
Source: ChannelNewsAsia - 🏆 6. / 66 Read more »

Nissan plans sale of Trading unit in US$1 billion deal: BloombergNissan Motor Co Ltd is looking to sell its vehicle parts and materials distribution business in a deal that may be valued at about US$1 billion, ...
Source: ChannelNewsAsia - 🏆 6. / 66 Read more »

Half of lost Saudi oil to remain offline for a month: S&PAround three million barrels per day of Saudi oil will remain offline for a month, about half the production halted by the weekend's devastating ...
Source: ChannelNewsAsia - 🏆 6. / 66 Read more »

US Justice Department official calls big tech antitrust probes a 'priority'The Justice Department's antitrust division chief, Makan Delrahim, said Tuesday that its probes of 'market-leading online platforms' such as ...
Source: ChannelNewsAsia - 🏆 6. / 66 Read more »