June 1, 2020 — A recall of the widely-used diabetes drug metformin was announced by drug maker Apotex, due to possible high levels of N-Nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA), which is believed to cause cancer in people.
The recall for all lots of metformin hydrochloride extended-release tablets 500 mg from Apotex comes after one lot tested by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration had higher NDMA levels than allowed by the FDA.
NDMA is an environmental contaminant that’s found in water and foods, including meats, dairy products, and vegetables.
Metformin hydrochloride extended-release tablets are prescribed to be used along with diet and exercise to improve blood sugar control in adults and children age 10 and older with type 2 diabetes.
NDMA contamination triggered numerous recalls of widely-used heart medicines last year.
Source: https://www.webmd.com/diabetes/news/20200601/metformin-recalled-for-possible-cancerous-chemical?src=RSS_PUBLIC