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They found that healthy men and women who took a normal dose of the heartburn medicine ranitidine, often known by the brand name Zantac, had extremely high levels of a chemical known as NDMA, a probable cancer-causing substance.Jun 21, 2021
Zantac and other ranitidine products contaminated with NDMA, a probable human carcinogen, may be linked to many types of cancer, including bladder cancer, colon cancer and prostate cancer.
The FDA Wednesday said that preliminary tests of alternatives including Pepcid (famotidine), Tagamet (cimetidine), Nexium (esomeprazole), Prevacid (lansoprazole) and Prilosec (omeprazole) found no N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA), the suspected cancer-causing agent found in OTC ranitidine drugs including the popular …
For now, anyone who used Zantac or ranitidine products will not be able to buy it until the FDA reapproves it once more–if it reapproves it at all–and reaffirms it is safe for public consumption. In the meantime, you can take other acid reflux drugs that the FDA has deemed safe.
June 21, 2021 — In 2016, researchers had some very bad news for anyone taking antacids. They found that healthy men and women who took a normal dose of the heartburn medicine ranitidine, often known by the brand name Zantac, had extremely high levels of a chemical known as NDMA, a probable cancer-causing substance.
All the companies cited NDMA impurities or potential impurities in the pills as the reason for the recalls, but say no adverse health effects have been reported so far. Consumers are still being advised to stop taking the medication immediately.
Conclusions: We found no evidence that pantoprazole, a longer acting PPI, compared with shorter-acting agents, conferred an excess risk of gastric cancer, other gastrointestinal cancers or all cancers for pantoprazole compared with other shorter-acting PPIs.
The bottom line. Due to a possible cancer risk, all forms of ranitidine were recalled by the FDA in 2020, including over-the-counter Zantac. This acid reflux medication has finally returned to pharmacy shelves but with a different ingredient called famotidine.
Oral pantoprazole is a safe, well tolerated and effective initial and maintenance treatment for patients with nonerosive GERD or erosive esophagitis.
Pepcid, sold under the generic name famotidine, and Zantac, sold under the generic name ranitidine hydrochloride, both belong to a class of medications called Histamine-2 receptor blockers, or H-2 blockers. Both medications are available over the counter and prescription forms.
The early numbers indicate that Tagamet was a significantly stronger introduction.” “I know that Tagamet was a much, much stronger newcomer to the over-the-counter market for us,” said Karpe. “It is greatly outselling Pepcid.
Ranitidine 150 mg, sold as Zantac Cool Mint, was found to increase from 19 ng NDMA at baseline to 70 ng NDMA when stored at 70 °C for 14 days, just below of the FDA’s maximum acceptable level.
No association between long-term PPI use (≥ 5 years) or H2 blocker use and colorectal cancer risk was observed, although there was a non-significant two-fold increase in risk associated with long-term high dose use.
Tagamet (cimetidine) works well for heartburn, but may have more side effects than other medicines like it. Relieves heartburn and stomach ulcers. Zantac 75 (ranitidine) is an effective and inexpensive medicine for hearburn with few side effects, but may interfere with other drugs.
Prilosec (omeprazole) was called “the first compound accepted for use in humans after having induced cancer in its target organ.” Those concerns were dismissed by the drug companies as merely theoretical, but with years of use by the public, it turns out the researchers were right: a combined study published in 2016 of …
Keep in mind that omeprazole is only intended for short-term treatment of heartburn, GERD, and other gastrointestinal conditions. Long-term use is only advised for people with rare medical conditions that cause hypersecretion of stomach acid.
Individuals using PPI medications are nine times more likely to develop pancreatic cancer, according to a study published in the Kuwait Medical Journal. The study goes on to state that patients using PPIs develop a condition called hypergastrinemia, which can be linked to an increased risk of pancreatic cancer.
To date, FDA’s testing has not found NDMA in Pepcid (famotidine), Tagamet (cimetidine), Nexium (esomeprazole), Prevacid (lansoprazole), or Prilosec (omeprazole).
Chamomile, ginger root, marshmallow root and slippery elm may be helpful in treating GERD. But clinical research on definitive benefits is lacking. The household product may provide temporary relief by neutralizing stomach acid. Some small studies have found chewing gum after meals appears to reduce acid levels.
To date, FDA’s testing has not found NDMA in products used for similar treatment like famotidine (Pepcid), cimetidine (Tagamet), esomeprazole (Nexium), lansoprazole (Prevacid) or omeprazole (Prilosec).
Therefore, the safest acid reflux medicine is the one that works best for you with the least amount of side effects. When compared to famotidine, omeprazole may have an increased risk of adverse effects, such as osteoporosis, especially when used long term.
Apple cider vinegar, a fermented vinegar that people make from crushed apples, is a popular natural remedy for acid reflux and heartburn. Many home remedies can successfully alleviate the symptoms of acid reflux, heartburn, and other symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
Do not use more than 2 tablets in 24 hours unless directed by your doctor. Do not take for more than 14 days in a row without talking with your doctor. Tell your doctor if your condition does not improve or if it worsens.
If your acid problems persist or worsen after you have used this product for 1 week, or if you think you have a serious medical problem, seek immediate medical attention. If you are using this medication regularly on a daily basis for more than 2 weeks, you may have a medical problem that needs different treatment.
Famotidine, an H2-receptor antagonist with a thiazole nucleus, is approximately 7.5 times more potent than ranitidine and 20 times more potent than cimetidine on an equimolar basis.
DATE OF RECALL: March 10, 2021 DRUG NAME: Famotidine 40mg Tablets RECALLING FIRM: Aurobindo Pharma USA, Inc. REASON FOR RECALL: This recall was issued due to the presence of foreign tablets. Famotidine 20mg and ibuprofen 400mg tablets were found in a lot of famotidine 40mg.
Are Tagamet and Pepcid the Same Thing? Tagamet (cimetidine) and Pepcid (famotidine) are histamine receptor antagonists used to treat and prevent certain types of ulcer, to treat conditions that cause the stomach to produce too much acid, and to treat gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
Theoretically, the drug is structured in a way that it might hamper coronavirus from replicating, Tracey told Health.com. Famotidine might bind to an enzyme needed by the virus to replicate itself. Clinical trials and more lab work will be needed to shed more light on the way the drug might work, Adalja concluded.
ANSWER: Omeprazole (Prilosec) is a much more effective suppressor of acid reflux than famotidine (Pepcid), and is more effective for most people — if it is used daily.