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Defective drugs: Carcinogen found in drug for diabetics

by | Mar 9, 2020 | Defective Drugs |

When people here in Texas receive a prescription from a medical professional, they trust that it is safe to use. Most drugs do exactly what they are meant to do and help patients with whatever illness or medical condition they may have. Unfortunately, other drugs may contain something harmful, whether that is because of improper testing, contamination or some other reason. Those defective drugs can cause serious harm to the patients who use them. This is what some officials allege about a popular drug used to treat diabetes, saying it contains a probable carcinogen.

The diabetic drug is called metformin, and it is used to help diabetics regulate their blood sugar levels. It is the fourth-most prescribed drug in the country. Recently, a pharmacy based online reported that it found high levels of a probable carcinogen, N-Nitrosodimethylamine, or NDMA in the supply of metformin. It found NDMA in several batches of the drug that came from 11 different drug manufacturers. The pharmacy reported its findings to the Food and Drug Administration, stressing that the drug needs to be recalled. 

The FDA’s own earlier testing only found low levels of NDMA in metformin, below the amount considered acceptable for human consumption. Other countries have issued recalls, but the U.S. says it plans to monitor the situation for the time being. Other drugs have been recalled for the presence of NDMA, and there is no word on why this particular pharmacy’s testing results differed from that of the FDA.

If people consume defective drugs, the results could be devastating. They may require additional, costly care and may never fully recover. Those here in Texas who have been harmed by a dangerous drug have ways to hold those responsible accountable. An experienced personal injury attorney can answer any questions an affected person may have.

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