A pharmaceutical company has issued a voluntary recall for more half-a-million bottles of blood pressure medication after tests showed the capsules had high levels of potentially cancer-causing chemicals.
An enforcement report from the Food and Drug Administration said New Jersey-based Teva Pharmaceuticals USA Inc. recalled 580,844 bottles of Prazosin Hydrochloride capsules that were distributed nationwide.
According to the report, the recall was initiated because tests for the capsules, which came in doses of 1, 2 and 5 mg, showed they had “above acceptable intake limits” for N-nitroso Prazosin impurity C, a cancer-linked chemical compound.
The recall was initiated Oct. 7, the report said. Oct. 24, the recall was classified as a “Class II,” which means the product “may cause temporary or medically reversible adverse health consequences,” or where the probability of serious adverse health consequences is remote.
According to the Health Hazard Assessment by Teva USA, the overall harm in the patient population is considered to be medium, the California Board of Pharmacy said in a memo.
Only certain lots of the pills were recalled. A full list of impacted lot codes can be found here.
The drug, more commonly referred to as Prazosin is a type of alpha-blocker used to treat hypertension, according to the Cleveland Clinic. The drug is sometimes sold under the name of Minipress, the clinic said.
Teva Pharmaceuticals did not immediately respond to NBC Chicago’s request for comment.
Last month, Lipitor, a widely-used cholesterol medication, was also recently recalled for “failed dissolution specifications,” which suggests the drugs did not properly dissolve at a standard rate and could lead to a reduction in the drug’s effectiveness.