Stomach ulcer medication recalled after contamination fears

Zantac, a medication used to treat stomach ulcers, has been recalled after fears that it has been contaminated with a chemical known to cause cancer.

Traces of NDMA, a chemical associated with the development of certain cancers, may have contaminated ranitidine which is an active substance in the branded medication Zantac.

The four types of Zantac that have been recalled are all only available with a prescription, however in England last year there were six million ranitidine prescriptions.

Last month, several US retailers stopped selling Zantac, meanwhile France, Canada and Bangladesh have also taken action to recall the medication.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) have announced that they are now taking measures to ensure that no other medications containing ranitidine have been contaminated and have informed manufacturers to quarantine all ranitidine products.

Julie Crossley, a medical negligence lawyer from Ashtons Legal comments: “Aside from the worry and concern this recall of ranitidine would mean to many people – some of whom may have been taking it for some years – should they decide to pursue a claim it may be very difficult to prove that the contamination caused the cancer and I suspect many experts would be reluctant to say that on the balance of probabilities it did.”