Valsartan Drug Recall: What You Need to Know Now

Your mood is better, your pains and nuisances seem to finally disappear as you follow the indicated prescriptions advised by your doctor. You are happy you made the decision to visit your doctor and even happier when you started taking the specified medication. But after sometime taking the medicine you realize there are other new symptoms you did not experienced before.  You read the bottle or the box with the prescription´s label on it, not before grabbing your glasses to read the small letter, to find out that your new bedevilments obey to side effects of your medicine. That implies you need to go back to your doctor and ask for a change of medication or adjustment in your dose. Side effects are one relevant aspect to take into consideration, however there´s a more important aspect that you have to observe when it comes to medication: Unexpected impurities.

Medications with wrong prescriptions or medications having issues themselves because of storage, handling or production are more frequent than you could expect. We know why we tell you based on our experience. For more than 40 years, Cohen & Riechelson personal injury lawyers have served in Bucks County and Northeast Philadelphia and we are an excellent option if you unfortunately encounter these types of misfortunes.

If you suffer from high blood pressure, also known as hypertension, it´s very likely that you may be familiar with Valsartan. Valsartan is an angiotensin receptor antagonist. It keeps blood vessels from tightening, which decreases blood pressure and allows blood to flow freely. It is a generic ingredient that can be present in many medications and used by a large group of pharmaceuticals. The issue is that according to an investigation held by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) which is a federal US agency; carcinogens may be present in Valsartan. The source of this problem was located in Zhejiang Huahai (China). The implications of this discovery indicate that a long exposure to this polluted component may cause liver and colorectal cancer according to some researches.

Could I be affected by tainted Valsartan?

European entities such as AEMPS in Spain and the FDA here in the United States have found some remains of (NDMA) N-nitrosodimethylamine and (NDEA) N-nitrosodiethylamine, both being cancer causing chemicals, most of the Valsartan produced by Huahai. Investigations went further to determine what had caused the pollution in the ingredient. Good news is that by September 2018, US banned the importation of this product. Bad news on the contrary is that the product may have been around the market since the first semester of 2012.

I may have taken polluted medication, what can I do now?

If due to your blood pressure problems took or are currently taking medication with Valsartan as one of its components, you can:

1. Visit your pharmacy or medication provider to find out where your medicines come from. You can´t assume that your medication is clean since some pharmacies are legally authorized to replace cheaper generic products for brand-name drugs assigned by your doctor unless other specifications apply. This means the medications you are provided may not actually come from where you have always believed.
2. If you have not been taking the medication for so long, your risk may not be as high as a patient that has been taking the medication for a prolonged period of time. In both cases, you must see your physician as soon as possible. The specialist may run some tests to find out the presence of carcinogenic agents.
3. Talk to your doctor for substitute medications that can help you with your blood problems. Now, for your ease it´s also worth mentioning that not all Valsartan out there is altered, and it still is considered an effective product. And under any circumstance discontinue the use of any medication you are taking, it´s up to the doctor to tell you when to stop or change a dose. Don´t do it yourself!

I have read the article up to this point and I am a long time user of Valsartan, What should I do if I have been affected by the use?

As stated above, the medication is been circulating since 2012, which unfortunately means some people may have been affected by the use of Valsartan containing products. This may end up causing especially liver cancer. So, if you have been a regular user of Valsartan for an extensive period of time and already checked with your doctor your medical condition not getting good news, we can be the sunny side in the mist of your situation.

You have legal options to at least recuperate a compensation for your consequences. We have the expertise and knowledge so you don´t have to face this harsh situation alone. At Cohen & Riechelson we are ready to take over your case, you can call at 215-337-4915 for a free consultation, or schedule your free consultation at www.northeastphiladelphialaw.com. We´ll be able to help you if you are in Pennsylvania area.