RELATED: If You’re Prescribed Either of These Medications, Don’t Use Them, FDA Says. On July 19, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) announced that Pfizer had voluntarily recalled multiple lots of smoking cessation medication Chantix. The affected medications include the following: 56-count bottles of Chantix 0.5 mg tablets with lot number 00019213 and expiration date Jan. 2022; 56-count bottles of Chantix 0.5 mg tablets with lot number EC6994 and expiration date May 2023; 56-count bottles of Chantix 1 mg tablets with lot number EA6080 and expiration date March 2023 ;56-count bottles of Chantix 1 mg tablets with lot number EC9843 and expiration date March 2023; and eight lots of Chantix cartons containing one blister pack of 0.5 mg tablets and one blister pack of 1 mg tablets with lot number 00020231 and a Sept. 2021 expiration date; lot number 00020232 and a Nov. 2021 expiration date; lot number 00020357 and a Dec. 2021 expiration date; lot number 00020358 and a Jan. 2022 expiration date; lot number 00020716 and a Jan. 2022 expiration date; lot number ET1600 and a Jan. 2023 expiration date; lot number ET1607 and a Jan. 2023 expiration date; and lot number ET1609 and a Jan. 2023 expiration date.ae0fcc31ae342fd3a1346ebb1f342fcb For the latest recall news delivered straight to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter! The affected lots of Chantix are being pulled from the market after it was discovered that they may contain levels of N-nitroso-varenicline, a type of nitrosamine, that exceed the Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) level set by Pfizer. “Long-term ingestion of N-nitroso-varenicline may be associated with a theoretical potential increased cancer risk in humans, but there is no immediate risk to patients taking this medication,” the recall notice states, noting that Chantix is generally used in the short-term for smoking cessation to begin with. Pfizer explains that, at the time the recall notice was issued, there had been no adverse health outcomes associated with use of the recalled medications. In fact, the company says that smoking is more dangerous than the ingredient being called into question. “The health benefits of stopping smoking outweigh the theoretical potential cancer risk from the nitrosamine impurity in varenicline. Nitrosamines are common in water and foods, including cured and grilled meats, dairy products and vegetables. Everyone is exposed to some level of nitrosamines,” Pfizer said in its recall announcement. If you have any of the affected lots of Chantix at home, contact your doctor to decide on the course of action that’s best for you, whether that means getting a new package of the medication or changing your course of treatment. You should also contact Stericycle Inc. at 888-276-6166 (available on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.) for information on how to return the medication and get a refund. RELATED: If You Take Any of These 6 Supplements, the FDA Has a New Warning for You.
