Zantac Cancer Lawsuits

Recalled heartburn drug appears to transform into cancer-causing chemical when exposed to heat like that found in a hot car, or in the body’s digestive processes.

In September 2019, the FDA warned that the popular heartburn drug Zantac may contain cancer-causing impurities. These same chemicals have been linked to an increased risk of colorectal cancer, stomach cancer, liver cancer and other health problems.

STATUS OF ZANTAC LAWSUITS

Lawyers are investigating whether individuals diagnosed with cancer in recent years may be entitled to financial compensation through a Zantac lawsuit as a result of the manufacturers’ failure to disclose the presence of these carcinogenic impurities.

2024 Zantac Lawsuit Update

October 2024: GlaxoSmithKline  issued a press release on October 9, announcing it will spend about $2.2 billion to resolve about 93% of the remaining Zantac cancer lawsuits filed against the manufacturer in U.S. state courts. As part of the Zantac lawsuit settlement, GSK will pay $70 million to resolve a whistleblower lawsuit by Valisure, the independent laboratory that first raised the alarm about Zantac cancer risks more than five years ago.

August 2024: GlaxoSmithKline has reportedly agreed to settle another Zantac lawsuit just before the case was set to go before a jury, but continues to refuse to make wider payouts to resolve tens of thousands of similar claims currently making their way through the U.S. court system

May 2024: The first trial involving claims that the recalled heartburn drug Zantac can cause cancer began on May 2, 2024 in Chicago, more than four years after the product was pulled from the market. The claim was brought by Angela Valadez against GlaxoSmithKline and Boehringer Ingelheim, both of whom marketed versions of the drug. Valdez’s lawsuit claims she developed colorectal cancer as a result of using the over-the-counter versions of Zantac and its generic equivalents from 1995 to 2014.

2023 Zantac Lawsuit Update: In federal court, at the beginning of December 2022 a U.S. District Judge dismissed all federal Zantac cancer lawsuits after excluding plaintiffs’ expert witness testimony linking Zantac to cancer. Plaintiffs plan to file an appeal.

However, the litigation continues at the state level. In California state court, a series of four Zantac lawsuits have been scheduled for trial this year, with cases scheduled to go before different juries beginning in February, but the first California state Zantac trial has now been delayed until November 13.

>>FIND OUT IF YOU HAVE A ZANTAC CASE<<

MANUFACTURER: Sanofi-Aventis and other generic drug makers

OVERVIEW: Zantac (ranitidine) was first approved by the FDA in 1983, and is used to treat heartburn with acid indigestion, as well as stomach ulcers, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and other stomach acid production problems. The brand has been owned by a number of different drug manufacturers, including the original developer, GlaxoSmithKline, and later Boehringer Ingelheim, and its current manufacturer, Sanofi-Aventis.

Zantac belongs to a class of heartburn drugs known as H2-receptor antagonists, which decrease acid levels in the stomach. However, it now appears that versions of the drug have been distributed for years with cancer-causing impurities that may be a byproduct of the drug manufacturing process.

ZANTAC CANCER WARNINGS

In September 2019, the FDA issued a warning about the potential cancer risk from Zantac, indicating that the drug pharmacy Valisure detected high levels of N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) in pills. This chemical has been linked to a risk of cancer among humans, raising serious concerns about the safety of Zantac.

Using the same detection methods as the FDA, Valisure found 2,511,469 nanograms (ng) of NDMA per 150 mg tablet of Zantac. The FDA’s permissible intake limit is 96 ng per day, which means the Zantac tablets contained 26,000 times that.

The FDA has since said the technique used temperatures that were too high, resulting in excessive NDMA detection. However, the FDA also said its own testing still resulted in unacceptable levels of NDMA from Zantac.

Since the FDA issued the warning, most major pharmacy chains have pulled Zantac from shelves and most manufacturers have either issued Zantac recalls or have halted distribution.

Zantac was the first drug to ever become a “blockbuster” when it broke $1 billion in sales in 1986. In 2018, Zantac was still one of the top 10 heartburn tablets sold in the U.S.

FIND OUT IF YOU MAY QUALIFY FOR A ZANTAC CANCER LAWSUIT: As a result of the drug manufacturers’ failure to adequately ensure the purity of their products or warn about the risks associated with their medications, Zantac injury lawyers are evaluating whether users may be entitled to compensation through an individual claim or class action lawsuits due to the risk of various cancers, including:

• Liver Cancer
• Kidney Cancer
• Stomach Cancer
• Colorectal Cancer
• Prostate Cancer
• Esophageal Cancer
• Pancreatic Cancer
• Bladder Cancer
• Other Digestive Tract Cancers

To request a free consultation and claim evaluation to determine whether you, a friend or family member may be entitled to financial compensation through a lawsuit, submit information about a potential Zantac lawsuit for review by a lawyer.