No more Rantac, Zinetac as antacid Ranitidine removed from Essential Medicines’ List over cancer concerns

Ranitidine is popularly sold under the brand names Aciloc, Zinetac, and Rantac. It is under the scanner globally over cancer concerns.26 medicines have been taken off the list. (Photo: Getty)The Health Ministry on Tuesday released the new National List of Essential Medicines
Ranitidine is under the scanner throughout the world
Drug regulators found cancer-causing impurity N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA)Ranitidine is popularly sold under the brand names Aciloc, Zinetac, and Rantac, among others, and is commonly prescribed for acidity and stomachache-related issues.

The Health Ministry on Tuesday released the new National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM), which contains 384 drugs. Meanwhile, 26 medicines removed from the list will cease to exist in the country.

The 26 excluded medicines include:

1. Alteplase
2. Atenolol
3. Bleaching Powder
4. Capreomycin
5. Cetrimide
6. Chlorpheniramine
7. Diloxanide furoate
8. Dimercaprol
9. Erythromycin
10. Ethinylestradiol
11. Ethinylestradiol(A) Norethisterone (B)
12. Ganciclovir
13. Kanamycin
14. Lamivudine (A) + Nevirapine (B) + Stavudine (C)
15. Leflunomide
16. Methyldopa
17. Nicotinamide
18. Pegylated interferon alfa 2a, Pegylated interferon alfa 2b
19. Pentamidine
20. Prilocaine (A) + Lignocaine (B)
21. Procarbazine
22. Ranitidine
23. Rifabutin
24. Stavudine (A) + Lamivudine (B) 25. Sucralfate
25. White Petrolatum

Ranitidine is under the scanner throughout the world for concerns related to cancer and the Health Ministry has discussed the details with the Drug Controller General of India and All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) about taking the salt out of the essential stock.