Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Friday, Aug 22, 2025

Pfizer recalls 2nd blood pressure med in a week, again on potential carcinogen fears

Pfizer recalls 2nd blood pressure med in a week, again on potential carcinogen fears

Pfizer issued a second round of Canadian recalls this week as the country’s drug regulator continues to weed out meds with an excess of potential cancer-causing impurities.
Pfizer Canada has recalled all lots of the blood pressure drug Accuretic because of the presence of higher-than-allowed levels of a type of nitrosamine called N-nitroso-quinapril. The recall covers eight Accuretic batches across 10/12.5-mg, 20/12.5-mg and 20/25-mg strengths, Health Canada said.

The product pull comes just three days after Pfizer Canada said it was recalling 15 lots of another blood pressure drug, Inderal, on similar nitrosamine impurity concerns.

Nitrosamines, which are harmless at lower levels, crop up in various foods, drinking water and the air. Their potential to cause cancer requires long-term, high-level exposure, which Health Canada defines as “every day for 70 years.”

The regulator said there’s no immediate risk in continuing to “temporarily” take Pfizer’s recalled med. In fact, patients can continue to take Accuretic as prescribed and don’t need to return the drug to the pharmacy. They should, however, talk to a doctor about treatment alternatives, Health Canada said in its recall notice.

“Not treating your condition may pose a greater health risk,” the regulator added.

All but one of the Accuretic lots in question were set to expire in July. Lot FM9526, meanwhile, was meant to be good until the end of August 2023.

All three product strengths covered in the recall are in short supply, according to Drug Shortages Canada.

The recall earlier this week of Inderal covered four dosing strengths, which are also in short supply in Canada.

Health Canada has been working to get a handle on the nitrosamine impurity situation since the summer of 2018. It’s directed companies to complete detailed evaluations of their manufacturing processes and test products if their reviews pinpoint potential nitrosamine formation.

“As this work progresses, additional products may be identified and recalled as appropriate,” Health Canada added.

Over the past few years, myriad drugmakers have had to recall valsartan blood pressure meds and metformin diabetes drugs over the presence of another type of nitrosamine called N-Nitrosodimethylamine.

Excess levels of nitrosamines were also responsible for last year’s Chantix recall. Pfizer halted global distribution of the smoking cessation med in June. By September, the company was recalling all batches of the drug at the 0.5-mg and 1-mg doses in the U.S.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Dogfights in the Skies: Airbus on Track to Overtake Boeing and Claim Aviation Supremacy
Tim Cook Promises an AI Revolution at Apple: "One of the Most Significant Technologies of Our Generation"
Are AI Data Centres the Infrastructure of the Future or the Next Crisis?
Miles Worth Billions: How Airlines Generate Huge Profits
Zelenskyy Returns to White House Flanked by European Allies as Trump Pressures Land-Swap Deal with Putin
Beijing is moving into gold and other assets, diversifying away from the dollar
Cristiano Ronaldo Makes Surprise Stop at New Hong Kong Museum
Zelenskyy to Visit Washington after Trump–Putin Summit Yields No Agreement
High-Stakes Trump-Putin Summit on Ukraine Underway in Alaska
Iranian Protection Offers Chinese Vehicle Shipments a Cost Advantage over Japanese and Korean Makers
Saudi Arabia accelerates renewables to curb domestic oil use
Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez announce engagement
Asia-Pacific dominates world’s busiest flight routes, with South Korea’s Jeju–Seoul corridor leading global rankings
Private Welsh island with 19th-century fort listed for sale at over £3 million
Sam Altman challenges Elon Musk with plans for Neuralink rival
Australia to Recognize the State of Palestine at UN Assembly
The Collapse of the Programmer Dream: AI Experts Now the Real High-Earners
Armenia and Azerbaijan to Sign US-Brokered Framework Agreement for Nakhchivan Corridor
British Labour Government Utilizes Counter-Terrorism Tools for Social Media Monitoring Against Legitimate Critics
WhatsApp Deletes 6.8 Million Scam Accounts Amid Rising Global Fraud
Nine people have been hospitalized and dozens of salmonella cases have been reported after an outbreak of infections linked to certain brands of pistachios and pistachio-containing products, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada
Texas Residents Face Water Restrictions While AI Data Centers Consume Millions of Gallons
Tariffs, AI, and the Shifting U.S. Macro Landscape: Navigating a New Economic Regime
India Rejects U.S. Tariff Threat, Defends Russian Oil Purchases
United States Establishes Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and Digital Asset Stockpile
Thousands of Private ChatGPT Conversations Accidentally Indexed by Google
China Tightens Mineral Controls, Curtailing Critical Inputs for Western Defence Contractors
OpenAI’s Bold Bet: Teaching AI to Think, Not Just Chat
BP’s Largest Oil and Gas Find in 25 Years Uncovered Offshore Brazil
JPMorgan and Coinbase Unveil Partnership to Let Chase Cardholders Buy Crypto Directly
British Tourist Dies Following Hair Transplant in Turkey, Police Investigate
WhatsApp Users Targeted in New Scam Involving Account Takeovers
Trump Deploys Nuclear Submarines After Threats from Former Russian President Medvedev
Germany’s Economic Breakdown and the Return of Militarization: From Industrial Collapse to a New Offensive Strategy
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
President Trump Diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency After Leg Swelling
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Russia Formally Recognizes Taliban Government in Afghanistan
×