Zantac pulled from U.S. and Canada amid fears of contamination

Drug maker Sanofi announced late last week that it was pulling its over-the-counter heartburn medication Zantac in the U.S. and Canada over fears of contamination. Last month, the FDA announced it was investigating why low levels of a chemical known as N-nitrosodimethylamine — or NDMA — which the EPA has classified as possibly causing cancer, were found in some heartburn medicines. Walmart, CVS, and Walgreens recently also announced that they were pulling the drug from their shelves, and other pharmaceutical companies have also said that they would stop distributing generic versions of the medicine. In a statement, Sanofi said it was working with authorities to determine the extent of the recall and encouraged patients taking Zantac to speak with their health care providers or pharmacists for further information.