Teva's UK arm recalls some batches of Ranitidine: Medicines watchdog

(Reuters) - Teva Pharmaceutical's UK unit has recalled some batches of heartburn medicine Ranitidine, Britain's medicines watchdog said on Thursday, making it the latest drugmaker to pull the product.

Teva, the world's largest generic drugmaker, is recalling all unexpired stock of Ranitidine Effervescent Tablets in 150 micrograms and 300 micrograms dosages, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) said https://www.gov.uk/government/news/ranitidine-mhra-drug-alert-issued-for-teva-uk-recall.

Teva did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Rantidine, a copycat of GlaxoSmithKline's Zantac, is being taken off the shelves after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration found "unacceptable" levels of a probable cancer-causing impurity in the drug.

GSK last week recalled Zantac in all markets.

U.S. and European health regulators said last month they were reviewing the safety of Ranitidine, after online pharmacy Valisure warned of possible contamination with an impurity called NDMA, which has carcinogenic potential.

Ranitidine is the latest drug in which cancer-causing impurities have been found. Regulators have been recalling some blood pressure and heart failure medicines since last year.

(Reporting by Pushkala Aripaka in Bengaluru; Editing by Bernard Orr)