In 2020, the FDA requested the immediate withdrawal of all ranitidine products—including the popular brand —after discovering it could contain NDMA , a probable carcinogen. Since then, Arthur had been making do with the "new" Zantac 360 , which actually contains famotidine , a different active ingredient that the FDA deems a safe alternative.

Arthur stood in the pharmacy aisle, his hand hovering over the spot where the blue-and-white boxes used to be. For five years, the shelves had been empty of his old reliable: .

Sarah suggested that if he couldn't wait for the rollout, he could find effective alternatives at major retailers like CVS, Walgreens, and Walmart including:

Here is a short story reflecting the current landscape of finding this medication: The Long Walk for Relief

But today, the pharmacist, Sarah, caught his eye. "It’s coming back, Arthur," she said, tapping a memo on her screen. "The FDA approved a reformulated ranitidine late last year". "Can I buy it now?" Arthur asked, hope rising.