Zantac-Related Cancers Lawsuit
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MedLogic works with physicians and their patients who may have suffered as a result of defective products, including drugs and devices. We identify the resources patients need to determine if they are eligible for recoveries.
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Zantac-Caused Cancers
People who have been diagnosed or developed cancer after taking Zantac prescription or over-the-counter formulations or other medications containing ranitidine may be eligible for compensation.
The FDA first approved Zantac in 1983 for treating stomach ulcers and other conditions linked to too much stomach acid. Zantac is based on a substance called ranitidine. After the patent on Zantac expired in 1997, numerous competitors began to sell generic versions of Zantac, all based on ranitidine. In 2018, ranitidine was found to be linked to the cancer-causing NDMA (N-nitrosodimethylamine). NDMA is a semi-volatile organic compound used as a stabilizer in gasoline, rocket fuel and other petroleum-based industrial products and is a byproduct of pesticide manufacturing and other industries. NDMA is a known human carcinogen according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Investigations into ranitidine began, prompting drugstore chains to begin pulling ranitidine-based drugs, including Zantac, from their shelves in 2019. As a precaution, manufacturers of Zantac and other ranitidine-based drugs voluntarily recalled the drugs that same year. Finally, in 2020, the FDA concluded its investigation and announced a recall of Zantac and other drugs based on ranitidine.
Though health experts have stated that the short-term risk of NDMA-caused cancer from medication use may be low, longer-term exposure has not been fully evaluated. NDMA, however, has been shown to be a potent carcinogen in other industries. Zantac and other ranitidine-based drugs have been linked to the following cancers: Bladder, Kidney, Breast, Testicular, Thyroid, Prostate.
In September of 2019 a lawsuit was filed against Sanofi, the manufacturer of Zantac. The plaintiffs accused the company of intentionally misleading patients about the safety of Zantac and concealing the risk of exposure to NDMA, which is a known carcinogen, or cancer-causing substance. The lawsuit alleges that Sanofi’s record sales of Zantac, which was the first drug to reach $1 billion in sales, were only possible because of this deception and that Sanofi valued profits over the lives and health of patients.
The lawsuits against Sanofi are still ongoing. Therefore, no settlements have been determined yet. The settlement is the agreement that both parties come to as the resolution of the lawsuit. In successful cases, this typically involves money paid out for medical bills, pain and suffering, lost wages, etc. to the plaintiff or plaintiffs.