Carcinogen Found in More Hypertension Drugs
07 August, 2018
An investigation has identified more hypertension drugs that contain dangerously high levels of the carcinogen NDMA.
The compound was found in generic valsartan using ingredients manufactured in China.
The Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety said Monday it has now banned 59 branded hypertension drugs containing valsartan manufactured by Korea's Daebong LS, which imported the ingredients from China's Zhuhai Rundu Pharmaceutical. Around 180,000 people in Korea have been prescribed these drugs.
Valsartan lowers blood pressure by suppressing the secretion of hormones that constrict blood vessels.
The ministry had been investigating valsartan-based drugs after the ingredient made by Zhejiang Huahai of China was found to be carcinogenic and used in 115 hypertension drugs sold in Korea.
The ministry set the permissible level of NDMA at less than 0.3 ppm. But the valsartan made by Daebong LS contained 4.89 ppm of NDMA. Valsartan manufactured by Zhejiang Huahai contained up to 112.1 ppm of NDMA, and hypertension drugs made using it here contained up to 18.72 ppm.
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