Recall of valsartan, common blood pressure drug, spreads with new tainted supplier identified

[TexasTowelie]

(RNN) – A worldwide recall initiated last month for drugs containing the medication valsartan was expanded by the Food and Drug Administration last week and in South Korea on Monday.

The spread of the recall is linked to the presence of a possible cancer-causing impurity, a chemical compound known as NDMA.

Valsartan is a common drug used to treat high blood pressure and some heart conditions. Its brand name, Diovan, produced by Novartis, is unaffected.

The FDA first issued a new list of companies that were affected by tainted valsartan on Thursday. It included four smaller companies - Bryant Ranch Prepack, H J Harkins Company, Proficient Rx, and Northwind Pharmaceuticals - that obtain the drug in bulk from a supplier and repackage it in smaller batches for hospitals and pharmacies.

Read more: http://www.dailyindependent.com/cnhi_network/recall-of-valsartan-common-blood-pressure-drug-spreads-with-new/article_28b4171c-4ea8-5823-8f08-e231d0f5bfc8.html

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. I'd heard about this recall, and it worried me, until just now.

I take the medication produced by Novartis. It's not affected.

[TexasTowelie]

2. Take some comfort that you paid a bit more for the brand name

over the generic. I'm glad that the article cleared up any confusion about your medication.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

3. That is absolutely right!

Of course, there's a time and a place for generic drugs; I take several that are.

Thanks for your good thoughts!

[pnwmom]

4. With my insurance, it wasn't a "bit" more. It was the difference between a $20 copay

and $250.

[TexasTowelie]

5. Ouch.

That's a significant difference. They may not have been targeting that specific generic/brand name drug, but I suppose that it balances out somehow (in the favor of the insurer, of course).

[pnwmom]

6. Our company insurer does that with all brand name drugs,

so I'm stuck because I have to have the brand name -- the generics won't tell you if they contain gluten, which makes me sick

They claim they can't control how the processor makes it -- yeah, right. Both my pharmacy and I have called and talked to generic companies and they refuse to many any claims about gluten, and reserve the right to change their formulation at any time.