A multibillion-dollar drug has been pulled from the market because it contained less carcinogens than a single serving of grilled chicken.
In 2018, one of the best-selling blood pressure drugs, valsartan (sold as Diovan), was found to be contaminated with a “possibly carcinogenic” nitrosamine known as N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA). Approximately 20 million people worldwide are believed to have been prescribed medications contaminated with this contaminant, and the cancer risk of this contaminant has been shown to exceed that of many known strong carcinogens, including asbestos, PCBs, and benzo(a)pyrene.
As I explain in my video, “Carcinogenic NDMA in Medicines (Zantac, Metformin) and Meat,” the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) estimated that taking this drug for several years could cause cancer in 1 in 8,000 people, while the FDA’s European counterpart estimated that the cancer risk could be as high as 1 in 5,000. Researchers wrote in this 2019 paper that drugs like valsartan are unlikely to be a “special case.” And indeed, a few months later, the FDA announced that NDMA had been detected in ranitidine. The acid reflux drug ranitidine, sold as Zantac, is not only sold over the counter, but is one of the most prescribed drugs on the planet.
And in 2020, some formulations of metformin, a popular diabetes drug sold as Glucophage, were found to be contaminated. Following the detection of NDMA in common pharmaceutical products, the FDA removed the drug from the market by calling for the immediate removal of all Zantac from over-the-counter shelves after testing found that NDMA levels could exceed the daily limit of 96 nanograms in some circumstances. It got so bad that the FDA found that the levels of carcinogenic contaminants in Zantac were similar to the exposure levels experienced when eating grilled or smoked meats.
Wait, what?
NDMA isn’t just found in contaminated drugs. It is a known byproduct of tire factories, pesticide manufacturing, and leather tanning, and is found in processed meats and foods and beverages such as beer. The finding that NDMA can be transferred across the placenta may explain the association between maternal intake of salted meat during pregnancy and the risk of childhood brain tumors. For example, eating hot dogs during pregnancy can increase the risk of childhood brain tumors by 33%, and sausage by 44%. Consuming bacon can increase the chance of childhood brain tumors by 60-70%. But it’s not just processed meat. Researchers have found that chicken products also contain it. As you can see below and at 3:02 of my video, one serving of chicken contains over 100 nanograms of NDMA.
Remember how the FDA said the acceptable daily intake is 96 nanograms? Half a chicken breast contains 110 nanograms?
Currently, raw poultry does not contain NDMA. It comes from the cooking process. In fact, dry heat cooking, such as searing or grilling meat, produces airborne NDMA, releasing this highly potent carcinogenic compound into the air. So even if you’re eating a salad at a charcoal grill restaurant, just grilling meat indoors can pose a significant cancer risk.
Nitrosamines are also found in cigarette smoke, and there was pressure on the tobacco industry to remove them, arguing that “there is no logical reason why a removable carcinogen should be allowed to remain in consumer products…” It’s the same reason Zantac was pulled from store shelves.
Well, let’s be clear. Zantac is one of the best-selling drugs in history, bringing in billions of dollars in profits, but it was pulled from the market due to possible carcinogens exceeding the daily allowance, but could a single serving of chicken contain even more contaminants?! So, my question is, why aren’t they taking poultry off the shelves as well?
doctor’s note
NDMA is a type of nitrosamine, a type of carcinogen that is also found in processed meat. For example, see How Much Cancer Does Lunchmeat Cause?
How can we reduce the carcinogenicity of meat? See Carcinogens in Meat.
Is organic meat less carcinogenic? Check out the video to find out.
Note: The article shown at 1:04 in the video I referenced has since been retracted due to analytical artifacts.
