Zantac Cancer Lawsuit

Zantac® was a popular heartburn medication that was deemed safe enough to be sold over the counter by the FDA in 2004. However, beginning in 2019 the drug has been found to be contaminated with high amounts of a known human carcinogen, N-Nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA). NDMA is classified as a probable carcinogen by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), World Health Organization (WHO), and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which is why you need a Louisiana mass tort lawyer on your side!

Thus, the makers of Zantac® and other medications containing ranitidine have had to recall their defective medication, and are facing a product liability lawsuit due to their negligence of allowing NDMA to contaminate their products..

Zantac manufacturers are being accused of manufacturing and marketing a defective medication that they knew, or should have known, contained a cancer-causing chemical. What’s more, they’re accused of doing so without warning customers or the government of the drug’s risks. The resulting Zantac® cancer lawsuit is ongoing.

If you or a loved one was diagnosed with cancer or another disease after taking this defective medication, call the Zantac lawsuit attorneys at Gordon McKernan Injury Attorneys for a FREE consultation as to your legal options. All of our Louisiana personal injury lawyers are dedicated to helping our clients find the compensation they need to heal from their injuries and illnesses.

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Has Zantac® Been Recalled?

Yes—on April 1, 2020, the FDA requested all manufacturers of ranitidine withdraw their products from shelves, due to their finding “unacceptable amounts” of NDMA in ranitidine. More than a dozen manufacturers have recalled the drug since that time.

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The Risks of Long-term Zantac® Usage

Recent studies have shown that Zantac® (ranitidine) can cause high levels of NDMA exposure in patients who take the drug. Other studies have indicated that unstable molecules in the medication can break down in the digestive tract to create harmful levels of NDMA. Because of these, Zantac® (ranitidine) is no longer recommended for long-term use.

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How Ranitidine Causes Cancer

Plaintiffs in the Zantac® case claim that ranitidine, the active ingredient in Zantac®, is unstable. Because of this instability, the ranitidine molecule forms NDMA from heat and humidity during distribution and storage, before being ingested by patients. In addition, after the drug has been ingested, it continues to form NDMA inside the body, leading to a number of cancers, which is where a Zantac lawyer comes in!

In addition, the companies that manufactured and marketed Zantac® should have known about these dangerous effects, allege the plaintiffs. The reason why so many people are hiring Zantac lawyers and suing Pfizer and other companies associated with Zantac® is that those companies failed to properly warn the public about the risks of taking the drug, especially over long periods.

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Other Zantac® Side Effects After a Cancer Diagnosis

After patients who took Zantac® were diagnosed with cancer, some of them were also diagnosed with confounding conditions:

• Primary Pulmonary Hypertension (PPD): rare lung disorder that causes high blood pressure in the patient’s lungs. In PPD, the lung’s blood vessels narrow, raising the pulmonary artery’s pressure higher than normal.
• Crohn’s Disease: type of inflammatory bowel disease, causes inflammation in the digestive tract, resulting in cramps, abdominal pain, severe diarrhea, and weight loss.

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Find Out If You Qualify for a Zantac® Lawsuit

People seeking compensation must satisfy a number of conditions before potentially qualifying for a lawsuit against Zantac®. At this time, lawyers are only accepting claims from those who took the brand name Zantac®, not generic forms of ranitidine medication.

Only a lawyer can properly evaluate your claim and tell you if you have a basis for a lawsuit. The lawyers at Gordon McKernan Injury Attorneys can help you gather medical records and other evidence you need to build a case, and we’ll argue for your interests in court.

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The conditions necessary to qualify for the mass tort action against Zantac® include:

Zantac® Usage

You must prove that you took the Zantac® brand, made with ranitidine, for at least one year before your cancer diagnosis. If you had a prescription, you can prove it through your medical records. However, if you took over-the-counter Zantac® (Zantac® OTC), you’ll need a receipt and other evidence you took the drug.

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Cancer Diagnosis

Since the main injury claimed in this lawsuit is cancer, you must have a diagnosis of either esophageal, stomach, liver, pancreatic, or bladder cancer to qualify for a lawsuit. Your first diagnosis must have been fewer than 20 years after you stopped taking Zantac®, and you should have been younger than 90 years old when receiving your diagnosis.

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Connection Between Zantac® Use & Cancer Diagnosis

Proving this condition is trickier, but a knowledgeable lawyer can help you build your case. Generally, taking the medication for a longer amount of time, or taking higher doses consistently, will better-prove your claim. To qualify for the lawsuit, you need to have taken Zantac® at least once a week for a year or more.

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How Filing a Zantac® Lawsuit Can Help You Heal

If you’ve developed cancer after taking Zantac® for heartburn, you and your family could be facing medical bills, lost income, and poor health. Winning a lawsuit or settlement can help you recover costs for some of these damages, including

• Lost wages from your inability to work, or because your family caregiver can’t work
• Pain and suffering
• Medical bills
• Lost earning capacity
• Funeral and burial expenses, in the event of a wrongful death
• Loss of consortium or companionship with a loved one

Our team of Zantac lawsuit attorneys at Gordon McKernan Injury Attorneys have experience litigating for victims of severe adverse effects and complications caused by over the counter and prescription drugs. Allow our lawyers to evaluate your case and determine your legal options. Give us a call toll-free at 888.501.7888 for a free consultation as to your legal options.