Hong Kong recalls batches of hypertension drug

Losartan (Photo: Department of Health)

THE HK Department of Health (DH) has recalled several batches of a medication against high blood pressure because it had an “impurity” that might cause cancer.

The DH on March 11 endorsed a licensed drug wholesaler, Hind Wing Co Ltd (Hind Wing), to recall four products, involving seven batches, containing losartan from the market “as a precautionary measure due to the potential for an impurity in the products.”

The affected products are:

Apo-Losartan Tablets 50mg (HK Registration Number HK-61932 and batch NK 1253); Apo-Losartan Tablets 100mg (registration number HK-61933 and batches NG 2092, NH 5932, NL 1460); Apo-Losartan/ HCTZ Tablets 50mg/12.5mg (registration number HK-62635 and batches NZ 8848 and NL 1441); and Apo-Losartan/HCTZ Tablets 100mg/25mg (registration number HK-62634 and batch NZ 8845).

Through its surveillance system, the DH noted that Health Canada (the Canadian regulatory authority) was advising that multiple lots of losartan-containing products were being voluntarily recalled because of the potential for an impurity, N-Nitroso-N-methyl-4-aminobutyric acid (NMBA).

NMBA is a potential human carcinogen, the health department said.

Losartan-containing products are prescription medicines used to treat hypertension.

According to Hind Wing, the affected batches of the above products had been supplied to private doctors and pharmacies.

“So far, the DH has not received any adverse reactions related to the above affected products,” a DH spokesman said.

Hind Wing has set up a hotline (2541 5731) to answer related enquiries. The DH will closely monitor the recall.

The spokesman advised patients taking the recalled medicine to seek advice from their healthcare professional.

The link to the Health Canada recall alert can be found here:

https://healthycanadians.gc.ca/recall-alert-rappel-avis/hc-sc/2019/69272a-eng.php