CVS stops selling Zantac over cancer fears
CVS has announced it is no longer selling popular heartburn medicine Zantac or its generic version as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration investigates a possible link to cancer. On Saturday, CVS Health Corp announced it would stop selling the over-the-counter heartburn medicines "out of an abundance of caution." CVS says it is not recommending people stop taking the medicines, however, it is encouraging customers who bought any of these products to return them for a refund.
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In large quantities, the FDA says chemicals found in the products are believed to cause cancer, but the amount found in Zantac is not much more than what can be found in common foods.
CVS says it will continue to sell other heartburn medicines like Pepcid and Tagamet along with their generic equivalents. Zantac is sold by Sanofi which is reportedly cooperating with the FDA as well as conducting its own investigations.
Sandoz, a unit of Switzerland-based pharmaceutical giant Novartis, halted the distribution of generic versions earlier this month.