The Federal Drug Administration has announced a recall affecting more than half a million bottles of the blood pressure medication prazosin hydrochloride, with concerns mounting over the presence of a potentially cancer-causing chemical in some lots, this recall is causing ripples across the pharmaceutical industry, according to CBS News. The drug, also known by its brand name Minipress, is prescribed for the treatment of high blood pressure, PTSD-related nightmares, and other sleep disturbances.
Manufactured by Teva Pharmaceuticals USA and distributed by Amerisource Health Services, both entities have initiated voluntary nationwide recalls—the recall is classified as Class II by the FDA, indicating that the medication may cause temporary or medically reversible adverse health effects though the risk of serious harm is remote, so it's not time to panic yet but it is serious, as PIX11 News reports. The affected medication may contain nitrosamine impurities, known as potentially carcinogenic, which can sometimes form during manufacturing or storage processes.
In a statement obtained by PIX11 News, a Teva spokesperson said, "Teva prioritizes patient safety and product quality at every stage of a medicine’s lifecycle. Based on an abundance of caution, Teva voluntarily recalled fifty-five (55) lots (~580,000 bottles) of Prazosin Hydrochloride Capsules." They stressed the remote risk associated with the product, as those on the medication are under regular medical oversight, and advised that no health safety notifications related to the recall have been received from consumers as of yet.
The FDA and the companies involved urge patients with recalled prescriptions to not halt their medication abruptly but rather consult their doctor or pharmacist to discuss alternatives, it is important for maintaining blood pressure to not just stop a medication without professional guidance, even in the face of a recall as significant as this one according to PIX11 News. Details regarding the recalled lots, including bottle sizes and dosage strengths of 1 mg, 2 mg, and 5 mg, have been released to aid in the identification of the potentially impacted medications.
