According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, more than half a million bottles of blood pressure medication are being recalled due to a cancer-causing chemical linked to the prescription drug.
Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, based in Parsippany, New Jersey, issued a voluntary recall on October 7 for some of the prazosin hydrochloride capsules it distributed, and the FDA classified it as a Class II risk level on Friday, October 24.
The drug was approved by the FDA to treat high blood pressure, but was sometimes prescribed off-label to help manage symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), especially nightmares and sleep problems. The drug works by relaxing blood vessels, improving blood flow and lowering blood pressure.
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According to the FDA, a Class II risk is a situation “where use of or exposure to an violative product may cause temporary or medically reversible adverse health effects or where the likelihood of serious adverse health effects is remote.”
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Nurse Haley Delgado, left, measures Maria Hernandez's blood pressure at the Community Medical Center Health and Resource Fair at Banner Island Ballpark in downtown Stockton, California, on August 9, 2025.
The federal agency's risk classification indicates that the recalled drug may contain nitrosamine impurities, also called “N-nitroso Prazosin impurity C.” Exposure to the product can lead to serious health risks, the FDA reports.
Here's what you need to know about the recall, including how many bottles have been recalled.
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An elderly patient has her blood pressure measured by a nurse.
Which blood pressure drug is being recalled?
The recall involves more than 580,000 prazosin hydrochloride capsules distributed by Teva Pharmaceuticals.
The recipe affects:
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1 mg capsules: 181,659 bottles
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2 mg capsules: 291,512 bottles
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5 mg capsules: 107,673 bottles
According to the FDA, the bottles can hold 100 to 1,000 capsules.
For more information on the code information and recall lot number, please review the FDA enforcement report here.
What should people do with recalled medications?
Neither Teva nor the FDA have provided guidance on what to do with the recalled tablets.
But according to GoodRx, anyone affected by a drug recall is advised to check the lot number of their drug, contact both their pharmacist and their prescriber, and throw away the recalled drug.
USA TODAY has contacted Teva.
Contributing: USA TODAY's James Powell.
Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her at X @nataliealund.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Blood pressure medicine recalled due to cancer risk
