Zantac is a popularly used antacid medicine that is sold on prescription as well as over-the-counter. Since it is available over-the-counter without a prescription, it makes it more questionable as it is found to cause cancer on prolonged consumption.
Zantac and its generic version, Ranitidine, are found to contain a carcinogen compound, NDMA. Also, the U.S. FDA has therefore ordered the manufacturers of Zantac and Ranitidine to withdraw their products from the market. Let’s learn more about the Zantac lawsuit in this article.
Zantac as Heartburn Medication
Zantac is mainly prescribed as a heartburn medication and is also used for treating acid reflux, gastrointestinal problems, etc.
However, as gastroesophageal reflux disease/heartburn is common in America, Zantac is mainly prescribed as a heartburn medicine.
Along with Zantac, there are different types of heartburn medications, namely H2 blockers, H2 receptor antagonists, and PPIs, i.e., proton pump inhibitors.
Zantac falls under the H2 blocker category, i.e., it helps block the occurrence of a natural compound that causes digestive problems and the emergence of other immune responses like sneezing, watery eyes, etc.
Zantac or Ranitidine is the 50th most popular and prescribed medication in the U.S.
Side Effects of Heartburn Medication
Not only Zantac but other heartburn medications used in America are causing severe side effects from their prolonged use. The common ones include:
- Kidney problems
- Causing different types of cancers
- Chronic health impairments
- Rhabdomyolysis, a musculoskeletal disease
- Osteoporosis
- Intestinal infections
All these side effects have been identified by known studies like the American Society of Nephrology and the Canadian Medical Association Journal.
Apart from Zantac and Ranitidine, other heartburn medications in the U.S. posing health dangers include Nexium, Prilosec. Also, two other heartburn medication manufacturers, Northwind pharmaceuticals and Appco Pharma, have also recalled their heartburn medications.
What is NDMA?
NDMA or N-nitrosodimethylamine is a name of carcinogen, a cancer-forming compound. It is yellowish in color with a faint, pungent odor. It is regarded as a dangerous industrial waste product, trouble for the environment as well.
This ingredient is generally used as jet fuel in rockets or as an industrial lubricant. The compound has also been discovered in blood pressure medications like Valsartan. How it came to contaminate Zantac is still unknown.
However, it is known to have been first originated from China as a result of a chemical reaction.
Eligibility for Filing Zantac Lawsuits
To be eligible for filing Zantac lawsuits, one needs to fulfill three conditions. If they are fulfilled, you can choose to join a class-action lawsuit or file your own case in court with the help of a personal injury lawyer.
The three conditions include:
- You should have proper medical records that state you have been intaking Zantac as a heartburn medication. IF you bought it over the counter, it should be accompanied by a receipt or doctor’s note.
- You should be diagnosed with cancers linked with NDMA like liver cancer, oesophageal cancer, stomach cancer etc.
- There should be at least a year gap between using the medication and being diagnosed with cancer.
Zantac Lawsuits Filed
More than 1000 Zantac and other Ranitidine-related lawsuits have been filed till now. The very first lawsuit dates back to September 2019 that was filed against a Zantac manufacturer, Sanofi.
Later, another lawsuit was filed by a man (yes, you read that right) in Florida who developed breast cancer on intaking Zantac for nine years.
Zantac Lawsuits Settlement Amount
Zantac litigation is still in its development state. New findings are made, and judges are working upon coming to a settlement with the drug manufacturers of Zantac and Ranitidine.
The Zantac lawsuits are expected to be resolved through a mass tort or global settlement of cases. This means the Zantac manufacturers will decide upon a fixed amount of compensation that will be equally distributed among the plaintiffs depending on the severity of injuries to avoid individual lawsuits.
The settlement amount is most likely to be divided into tiers. For instance, the top tier would receive $5,00,000 worth of settlement amount. The second tier would receive $2,50,000 and so on.
The only strong step taken till now is that FDA has requested that Zantac be completely taken off the market. The total settlement amount is expected to be over $10 billion.
Can You Still File a Zantac Lawsuit?
Yes, it is an active lawsuit and is converted into an MDL i.e., Multidistrict lawsuit. This means you can easily fill out a simple form to file your lawsuit and attach proper documents, and it will be considered along with other similar lawsuits.
If you wish to learn more about Zantac lawsuits, contact us today.
