Alvogen recalls 24 lots of hypertension drug off the market due to chemical contamination

A medical drug manufacturer has initiated a voluntary recall on 3rd July 2017 after concerns their Nifedipine tablets have become contaminated with other medication ingredients.

The company, based in Iceland, makes the hypertension drug under the brand name Adalat, which is supplied to Bayer HeathCare. It’s used for channel blocking and as treatment for hypertension (high blood pressure).

The recall was initiated after a potential cross-contamination between the Nifedipine and another drug in the same facility.

It’s believed an inlet air duct may have transferred residual Sorafenib powder into the Nifedipine. Sorafenib is a drug used for chemotherapy treatment.

The Sorafenib residue that may have been unintentionally transferred into Alvogen’s Adalat is used to treat cancer. Chemotherapy drugs are notorious for severe side effects, so the worry is that anyone using a contaminated batch of the medicine may in turn suffer the horrendous side-effects that come with chemotherapy medication.

Sorafenib’s extensive list of side effects include:

The list goes on but there is a worrying amount of side-effects involving blood loss. Another one of the common side effects is hypertension; not good news when the purpose of taking Adalat is to treat hypertension…

The recall

The drug-maker has recalled 24 lots of the medication with the expiry date of January 2019. Patients with hypertension who are relying on these drugs to relieve high blood pressure may need to seek urgent medical advice in the event their medication is contaminated; particularly where users are suffering side-effects associated with chemotherapy medication.

Patients who suffer from injury because of defective products have every right to seek legal redress if manufacturers are found to be negligent. Patients with hypertension should be able to take Adalat to treat their condition without worrying there may be traces of chemotherapy drugs that could in fact increase their high blood pressure and cause serious health complications.

If you have been adversely affected by a product, you could be eligible to claim compensation. Talk to our expert lawyers who specialise in consumer protection laws to see how we can help today.