Medication used to treat underactive thyroid could contain substandard active ingredients.
The U.S. Food & Drug Administration issued a voluntary recall of two different thyroid medications.
According to a Fox 31 Denver report, the FDA announced the thyroid drug recall manufactured in China over concerns about a particular ingredient possibly contained within the medication. Both Levothyroxine and Liothyronine thyroid tablets in the 15 mg, 30 mg, 60 mg, 90 mg, and 120 mg doses are included in the recall.
According to the FDA, the drugs manufactured by Westminster Pharmaceuticals, LLC voluntarily recalled the medications due to using active ingredients that were used before the FDA’s Import Alert of Sichuan Friendly Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. In 2017, the FDA found that the Chinese maker of one of the ingredients used substandard practices, and issues the import alert. So far, Westminster Pharmaceuticals, LLC has not received any reports of adverse effects from the tablets.
The FDA issued the recall “because these products may be used in the treatment of serious medical conditions, patients taking the recalled medicines should continue taking their medicine until they have a replacement product.”
These medications are used to treat hypothyroidism, also known as underactive thyroid disease, which is a condition in which the thyroid gland, located in the lower front neck, does not make enough hormones on its own, according to WebMD. Hormones secreted by the gland affect the entire body including the heart and brain, as well as muscles and skin.
The Levothyroxine and Liothyronine included in this recall are packaged in 100-count bottles. Consumers who have any questions are concerns can contact Westminster’s Regulatory Affairs department at 888-354-9939. Any person who may have experienced an adverse reaction or quality concern with the medications can report it through FDA’s MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program by fax, email, or its online form.
This recall comes on the heels of another recent medication recall. Last week, the FDA expanded its recall of a blood pressure medication over contamination concerns, according to an Inquistr report. Ingredients in the drug Valsartan, are linked to possible cancer risks. All the recalled blood pressure and heart disease medicines may contain N-nitrosodimethylamine or NDMA, which the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency considers to be a possible carcinogen.
The valsartan containing drugs include an ingredient linked to a Chinese-based manufacturer named Zhejiang Huahai Pharmaceuticals, in Linhai, China, which is not the same manufacturer as the one involved in the thyroid recall.
Patients who are using any of these recalled medications should not make any changes without first discussing them with their doctors or pharmacists.
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