(NaturalHealth365)  The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recalled over 580,000 bottles of prazosin hydrochloride – a widely prescribed blood pressure medication – after testing revealed contamination with N-nitroso Prazosin impurity C, a potentially cancer-causing nitrosamine compound exceeding acceptable safety limits.

New Jersey-based Teva Pharmaceuticals and drug distributor Amerisource Health Services initiated voluntary nationwide recalls in October 2025 affecting 1 mg, 2 mg, and 5 mg capsules.  The FDA classified this as a Class II recall, meaning the contaminated medication “may cause temporary or medically reversible adverse health consequences,” though the probability of serious harm is considered remote.

According to the FDA’s enforcement report (available at FDA.gov), nitrosamines are potentially cancer-causing chemicals that can form during drug manufacturing or storage.  Long-term exposure may increase the risk of liver, stomach, and lung cancers.

A pattern of pharmaceutical contamination

This recall follows another high-profile medication safety alert just days earlier, when Ascend Laboratories pulled over 140,000 bottles of atorvastatin (generic Lipitor) due to improper tablet dissolution.  These back-to-back incidents expose a troubling pattern: nitrosamine contamination has triggered massive recalls of valsartan, losartan, metformin, ranitidine, and varenicline (Chantix) since 2018.

The timing couldn’t be worse.  America is the world’s largest pharmaceutical market, and prescription drug dependence has reached unprecedented levels.  According to recent data, 61% of Americans currently take at least one prescription medication, 27% take four or more, and nearly 90% of adults over 65 regularly use prescription drugs.  The U.S. consumes 8% of the world’s prescription drugs despite representing just 4% of the global population.

With 6.7 billion total prescriptions dispensed across the U.S. in 2022 and Americans spending more per capita on prescription drugs than any other country, the stakes for pharmaceutical safety have never been higher.  When manufacturing quality controls fail, hundreds of millions of people face potential exposure to carcinogenic contaminants.

The hidden nitrosamine threat beyond medications

While pharmaceutical contamination makes headlines, most Americans remain unaware of pervasive nitrosamine exposure from unexpected everyday sources.

Processed and cured meats contain high nitrosamine levels.  Bacon, hot dogs, deli meats, and sausages treated with nitrite preservatives form nitrosamines during cooking – especially when fried at high temperatures.  The crispy, well-done edges contain the highest concentrations.

Drinking water harbors nitrosamine contamination.  When water treatment facilities use chloramine disinfection, nitrosamines form as byproducts when chloramine reacts with organic matter.  The predominant compound formed is N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA), classified as probably carcinogenic to humans.

Cosmetics and personal care products were major sources.  Until recent regulations, over 40% of tested cosmetics, shampoos, and lotions contained N-nitrosodiethanolamine at concentrations up to 260 mg/kg.  While banned in the EU, contamination remains a concern in products from unregulated markets.

Tobacco smoke delivers concentrated nitrosamine exposure.  Cigarettes and smokeless tobacco contain tobacco-specific nitrosamines classified as carcinogenic to humans.  Secondhand and thirdhand smoke (residue on surfaces) also expose non-smokers.

Simple steps to reduce your cancer risk naturally

Eliminate processed meats entirely.  No amount is safe.  Replace with organic, unprocessed proteins like wild-caught fish, 100% grass-fed beef, and pasture-raised poultry.

Install quality water filtration.  Reverse osmosis or activated carbon filters remove nitrosamines from drinking water.  Don’t rely solely on municipal treatment.

Choose clean personal care products.  Use EWG’s Skin Deep database to verify products are free from nitrosamine precursors.  Avoid products containing DEA, TEA, or other ethanolamines.

Support liver detoxification.  Your liver processes nitrosamines through specific pathways.  Optimize function with milk thistle, N-acetyl cysteine, glutathione, and organic cruciferous vegetables rich in sulforaphane.

Consume protective compounds.  Vitamin C blocks nitrosamine formation in the stomach.  Green tea polyphenols, resveratrol, and curcumin provide additional protection against DNA damage from nitrosamine exposure.

Address chronic inflammation.  Nitrosamines cause cancer partly through oxidative stress and inflammation.  Anti-inflammatory diets emphasizing omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, and organic whole foods reduce susceptibility to carcinogenic damage.

The complete cancer defense strategy Western medicine ignores

Nitrosamine exposure from contaminated drugs, processed foods, water, cosmetics, and air represents just one category of cancer-causing threats most people face daily.

If you’re serious about preventing cancer, discover what 22 leading cancer doctors and researchers reveal about comprehensive cancer prevention and recovery.  Jonathan Landsman’s Stop Cancer Docu-Class exposes why biopsies can be fatal mistakes and the shocking truth about chemotherapy myths.

Discover how to detect cancer cells before they become life-threatening and which hidden infections dramatically increase cancer risk.  Learn which “healthy” foods actually feed cancer growth and access vitamin C therapy protocols with 30+ years of clinical experience.  Understand emotional and energetic cancer triggers; the liver-cancer connection; and natural protocols to successfully eliminate cancer cells from your body.

Sources for this article include:

FDA.gov
FDA.gov
6abc.com
FDA.gov
NIH.gov
CDC.gov
Singlecare.com