Gov't recalls 59 drugs containing Valsartin due to traces of potential carcinogen

Health authorities in South Korea have recalled 59 drugs used for treating high blood pressure and heart failure after they were found to contain traces of carcinogenic chemicals. The food and drug ministry on Monday ordered all retailers to remove the common prescription drugs from their shelves,... after discovering that they contained more than zero-point-three parts-per-million of N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA).NDMA is a by-product of Valsartin, used to treat high blood pressure,... and has been classified as a possible human carcinogen based on animal tests.The drugs were manufactured by local pharmaceutical firm Daebong LS, which sourced the Valsartin from a Chinese company.The government says it's looking into other Valsartin-containing products, and will reveal its findings soon.