(Reuters) – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said on Thursday it has recommended five pharmaceutical firms to voluntarily recall their diabetes drug metformin after the agency found high levels of a possible cancer-causing impurity in some versions of the medication.
The agency said the drugs contained the probable carcinogen N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) beyond acceptable limits in their extended-release formulations alone.
NDMA contamination was responsible for the recall of heartburn drug Zantac sold by Sanofi SA and some generic versions of the treatment last year.
