A number of high blood pressure and heart drugs containing an ingredient made in China are being recalled across Europe after an impurity that may cause cancer was found in them, officials said on Thursday.

The European Medicines Agency said the recall followed identification of the impurity in the active substance valsartan manufactured by Zhejiang Huahai Pharmaceuticals, a company in Linhai, China.

The local medicines authority said on Friday that it was carefully following the situation and adopting the advice of the EMA and the Health Products Regulatory Authority. More notices would be issued as the situation evolves, it said.

However, it warned that patients should not stop taking the drug abruptly.

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