Medicines for high blood pressure do not result in cancer, clarify experts

Leading cardiologists, diabetologists and pharmacists clarified on Saturday that medicines used for blood pressure and cardiovascular diseases, including Valsartan, did not result in cancer.

They urged people to continue taking the drugs if their physicians and pharmacists had advised them.

The medical professionals said in a press conference at Karachi Press Club that rumours regarding the use of medicines for high blood pressure causing cancer were untrue. They added that it was safe to do so and was a ”drug of choice” for millions of patients around the world, including Pakistan.

The press conference was organised by the Pakistan Society of Health System Pharmacists (PSHP) to clear misconceptions regarding the recalling of Valsartan manufactured by nine pharmaceutical companies in the country.

“There was a precautionary recall of some of the Valsartan prepared through raw material imported from a Chinese company, but the issue is now settled,” said Dr Fawad Farooq, a leading cardiologist and expert associated with the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases. “If a doctor prescribes Valsartan for hypertension, patients should follow his advice,” he added.

Dr Farooq said the issue surfaced when European Medicine Agency (EMA) called for a precautionary recall of the drug prepared with raw materials imported from a particular Chinese company. Following EMA’s stance, Pakistani drug regulatory authorities also asked local companies to recall the product.

“Actually, the Chinese company’s product had an impurity in a minute quantity, which is known as NDMA,” he said. “Lab tests showed that this impurity could result in cancer for animals but there is no study available on its effects to humans,” he added.

PSHP President Abdul Latif Shaikh also endorsed the assertion that Valsartan was a safe drug for blood pressure patients and advised them to trust their doctors and pharmacists as strict monitoring was being carried out over the safety of drugs in Pakistan.

Shaikh also claimed that the NDMA found in the raw material of the Chinese company was in such a minute quantity that it could not cause cancer, but still all the medicine prepared from the active pharmaceutical ingredient was recalled, which was a precautionary decision and a commendable step. He added that misreporting of the issue resulted in misconceptions amongst the people.

Dr Ashar Fawad from Baqai Institute of Diabetology and Endocrinology said there was “no ban” on Valsartan or any other medicine for the treatment of high blood pressure in the country, and advised people to continue taking it if their doctor advised them to take it regularly. “We are addressing this press conference because people are concerned and want to know the factual position,” he added.