Second Contaminant Found in Valsartan Drugs

Sept. 14, 2018 — One brand of recalled blood pressure and heart failure medicines has been found to include a second, potentially cancer-causing, impurity.

The FDA on Thursday announced that three lots of Torrent Pharmaceuticals’ valsartan drugs contain NDEA, which is known to cause cancer in animals and is thought to be a human carcinogen.

Those drugs were already part of August’s recall of valsartan products for possible contamination with NDMA, another impurity that may cause cancer.

According to the FDA, China-based Zhejiang Huahai Pharmaceuticals discovered the NDEA in several batches of its valsartan ingredients.

If you take a valsartan drug for high blood pressure or heart failure, the FDA recommends you continue to take it until you can speak with your doctor or pharmacist. Even if your medication is part of the recall, the agency says continue to take it and consult your doctor for possible alternatives.



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