FDA: If You Have Zantac at Home, Throw it Out
US health regulators want the makers of Zantac to immediately pull theirheartburn drugs off the market.
The FDA says a contamination issue with the medications poses a greater risk than previously thought.
The move applies to all prescription and over-the-counter versions of ranitidine, best known by the brand name Zantac.
According to the FDA, people should stop taking any of the medicationsthey currently have and throw them away.
Last year, the FDA found low levels of a"probable" cancer-causing contaminant in multiple brands. At that time, they said people could continue taking the meds.
Now, they have reversed that decision after finding that the levels of the chemical increase over time, which poses an unacceptable risk to patients.