Zantac-Related Cancers
Zantac Responsible for Various Cancers
In a federal suit filed in California in 2019, pharmaceutical companies Sanofi, GlaxoSmithKline, and Boehringer Ingelheim were accused of misleading consumers about the dangers of both generic and branded Zantac after they “deliberately crafted their label, marketing, and promotion” to downplay the potential health risks for those using the heartburn relief drug. A separate suit in Colorado named Pfizer as one of the defendants, along with a fifth company, Chattem.
The lawsuits accuse the drugmakers of refusing to perform proper testing on Zantac each year, which would have revealed the presence of a nitrosamine impurity called N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA). The FDA performed tests on the drug and found “unacceptable levels” of NDMA in samples of ranitidine, however Zantac wasn’t technically recalled. The FDA simply asked retailers to stop selling Zantac and ranitidine products.
Currently there are several state lawsuits against the makers and sellers of Zantac as well as over 2,000 federal cases which have been combined into a Multidistrict Litigation (MDL) that is expected to go to trial in October 2022.
Cancers Named in the Zantac Lawsuit
Stomach cancer, esophageal, bladder, liver, and pancreatic cancers have been named as potentially having been caused by Zantac. However Florida federal Chief Judge K. Michael Moore has stated that plaintiffs with any type of cancer can remain as parties to the lawsuit. To qualify for the Zantac lawsuit, patients must:
- Have taken Zantac
- Have developed cancer
- Show a link between the cancer diagnosis and use of Zantac
If you have been diagnosed with any of these cancers after use of Zantac, you may be eligible for compensation.