The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced it is requesting manufacturers withdraw all prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) ranitidine drugs from the market immediately. This is the latest step in an ongoing investigation of a contaminant known as N-Nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA)
If you do not take Zantac, please disregard this message. If you take this type of heartburn medication, we encourage you to reach out to your primary care physician or DHP provider to see if a switch to another medication is recommended in your situation. Pepcid (famotidine) is sometimes recommended as an equivalent over-the-counter option. For more information, please refer to the following FDA communications. As always, patient safety is our first priority.
FDA recommends the following steps to safely dispose of these medications at home:
- Follow medication instruction inserts for disposal.
- Remove the drugs from their original containers and mix them with something undesirable, such as used coffee grounds, dirt, or cat litter. This makes the medicine less appealing to children and pets and unrecognizable to someone who might intentionally go through the trash looking for drugs.
- Put the mixture in something you can close (a re-sealable zipper storage bag, empty can, or other container) to prevent the drug from leaking or spilling out.
- Throw the container in the garbage.
- Scratch out all your personal information on the empty medicine packaging to protect your identity and privacy. Throw the packaging away.