Zantac Lawsuits
Thousands of Zantac lawsuits are currently in federal courts, and a judge has consolidated them into multidistrict litigation in the Southern District of Florida. Multidistrict litigation is a proceeding in which multiple cases are temporarily consolidated and transferred to a single district court for pretrial proceedings in order to promote efficiency. Attorneys have registered another 70,000 potential claims, according to the Daily Business Review, and several plaintiffs have filed suits in state courts.
The plaintiffs allege that the drug causes certain types of cancers and are suing the drug’s manufacturers. They say the manufacturers refused to test the drug because they knew it contained a potential carcinogen, according to Becker’s Hospital Review.
Attorneys for both sides will likely try the first cases in both federal and state courts later this year.
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What is Zantac?
Zantac is the brand name of a common heartburn medication with the generic name of ranitidine. Zantac is an H2 blocker. It reduces stomach acid by blocking histamine receptors in the stomach. Health care providers often suggest Zantac for treatment of peptic ulcers, gastroesophageal reflux disease and related conditions.
According to Reuters, GlaxoSmithKline originally manufactured the drug, which was the world’s best-selling drug and the first to eclipse $1 billion in sales. In the 2000s, Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson and Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals manufactured the drug. Sanofi was the last drug manufacturer and has removed the drug from pharmacy shelves. Sanofi reported earnings of the equivalent of $141 million in 2018, according to Fierce Pharma. Many pharmacies also have introduced their generic brands.
Recent research suggests that unstable molecules in Zantac break down in the digestive tract and create high levels of N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA), which is classified as a probable human carcinogen according to the Federal Drug Administration (FDA). NDMA is also used in laboratories to create cancer in rats and is an environmental contaminant, the FDA says.
FDA Recalls Ranitidine
In April 2020, the FDA asked manufacturers to immediately withdraw all ranitidine products from the market, stating that “the impurity in some ranitidine products increases over time,” especially when stored at higher than room temperatures. The result is a medication with levels of NDMA that are higher than the daily limits, the FDA said. The agency recommends patients see their health care providers for treatment options that lack ranitidine.
Many experts believe that the FDA’s response is too restrained relative to the risks posed by NDMA, according to the National Law Review.
The review of ranitidine initially occurred at Valisure, a New Haven, Connecticut-based online pharmacy, which alerted the FDA that it had detected high levels of NDMA in both generic and brand versions of Zantac sold at well-known pharmacies, according to the Los Angeles Times.
What kind of cancer is caused by Zantac?
Research has linked NDMA to several types of cancer and other diseases. A Centers for Disease Control (CDC) paper links it with lung cancer in mice and liver cancer in rats. The paper also correlates NDMA with reduced body weight loss, necrosis and fibrosis in dogs, as well as fetal and neonatal mortality in animals.
Other studies cited in the CDC paper found associations between NDMA and gastric, liver, bladder, colorectal and prostate cancers, leukemia, and multiple myeloma in humans.
A study in Occupational & Environmental Medicine found that exposure to nitrosamine increased the mortality rate of cancers of the esophagus, oral cavity and pharynx. It also found a less significant link between exposure and deaths from prostate cancer. Researchers conducted the study with rubber workers.
A preprinted study that has yet to be peer-reviewed found links between NDMA and breast and thyroid cancers.
Who qualifies for a Zantac lawsuit?
Claimants will first need to prove that Zantac or another drug with ranitidine was used over an extended period. Proof might consist of pharmacy receipts or medical records. You must also demonstrate an injury. For example, you must prove that you have been diagnosed with one of the cancers that studies have linked with ranitidine use, such as gastric cancer or leukemia. Finally, you must prove some link between your cancer and the use of the drug. In general, you need to prove that you used Zantac or another ranitidine drug for at least a year and that the disease started at least a year after use.
A Zantac lawyer can help you through the process of proving a link between your diseases and the drug. Depending upon the nature of your illness, you could qualify for compensation to cover medical bills, loss of wages and pain and suffering. Our team at Sonstein Law has experience litigating Zantac cases. Contact us today for a free case review.
