What is Zantac?
Zantac is a heartburn medication also known by its generic name, ranitidine. It’s a popular drug used to block histamine, which helps to treat a variety of acid-related digestive conditions. These conditions can be as simple as regular heartburn, or the more serious heartburn called gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), or even an ulcer.
Recall of Zantac related to clear Cancer Risks
In 1983, drug maker GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) introduced Zantac to the United States market. It became almost instantly popular. In fact, it is, as of this date, one of the most popular and widely-used medications in history. Over 15 million prescriptions were filled annually.
But not all effects of Zantac were good. Over time, experts started to recognize the intrusion of a contaminant in Zantac. The bad acting compound is called N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA). Most formulations of Zantac included NDMA. The problem with NDMA is that it is one of the most recognized carcinogens. In other words, NDMA causes cancer in humans.
In the late summer of 2019, the FDA recognized the problem. They identified that NDMA posed a significant risk to those taking Zantac. Thereafter, the FDA ordered all Zantac manufacturers to test their formulation of Zantac/ranitidine for NDMA. They ordered a recall of any batches that had NDMA contamination.
On April 1, 2020, the FDA had seen enough. What they discovered was that the NDMA levels could actually increase as the drug sat on the shelf or in storage. They recognized the severe public threat. To protect US consumers, they took the drastic step of recalling all Zantac sold in the U.S. The FDA’s warning specifically ordered all patients to “stop taking any tablets or liquid they currently have, dispose of them properly and not buy more.”
Sadly, it appears that significant evidence is mounting that the Zantac manufacturers knew for years that patients would face an increasing risk of developing NDMA-related cancer.
The LaBovick Law Group has a dedicated team to help our clients who are suffering with Zantac-related cancers. We are currently assisting victims across the nation who took Zantac and now have one of the cancers associated with NDMA. We are committed to bringing the makers of this deadly combination to justice.
Who Qualifies for a Zantac Claim or Lawsuit?
This is a very hard but important question. Given how early it is in the discovery period, no one knows yet which cancers will have solid linkage to Zantac and NDMA. However, there are many cancers which we are finding, through scientific research, to have a much greater association than originally thought. In the beginning, it became more obvious that the lower intestinal tract was at risk, leading to possible colon cancer, stomach cancer, and even esophageal cancer. However, as scientists have been intensely studying NMDA contamination from Zantac, the earliest tests are showing a connection to many different organs. At this point the list of significant causal connection continues to grow. We just added a few cancers because of new scientific information that is coming to light out of the best cancer research centers in America. Right now, here is our list of NDMA related cancers (the list is subject to change):
- Colon and rectal cancer
- Pancreatic cancer
- Esophageal cancer
- Throat cancer
- Nasal cancer
- Lung cancer
- Liver cancer
- Bladder cancer
- Kidney cancer
- Brain cancer
- Thyroid cancer
- Intestinal cancer
- Kidney cancer
- Lung cancer
- Multiple myeloma
- Non-Hodgkin lymphoma
- Ovarian cancer
- Prostate cancer
- Stomach cancer
- Testicular cancer
- Uterine cancer
- Breast cancer
Every person who has used Zantac is encouraged to see their doctor regularly. It is important that you monitor your health for symptoms of cancer at many system levels.
If you’ve been diagnosed with cancer after taking Zantac, you will likely qualify for substantial compensation from a lawsuit against the manufacturer if your type of cancer has significant causal connection. We believe the science will show many cancers have significant causal connection to Zantac.
BEWARE – There will be restrictions and time limits to bring your claim. Therefore, it is important to call a law firm that is concentrating in Zantac cases.
There is NO REASON to delay that call. Law firms who are serious about prosecuting Zantac cancer cases universally offer a free consultation. They also universally offer to work on the case on a 100% contingency basis. That means they do not get paid unless they win or settle your Zantac Cancer legal action.
If you want more information, you may contact our office today. You can qualify for a Zantac claim in 2 or 3 minutes by explaining to our paralegals the type of cancer you have and how long you took Zantac. Then you will be assigned to a Zantac attorney who will provide you with fully contingent legal services.
Zantac Lawsuit Timeline
Litigation Update for Zantac
Zantac is subject to an immediate and full FDA recall. The manufacturers are ordered to remove all Zantac offerings, both in prescription strength and in over-the-counter offers. This includes all generic ranitidine formats. The newest scientific test clearly showed NDMA levels increasing as the Zantac sat on the shelf over time, especially if left at higher than regular room temperatures.
144 Zantac claims are set up in the Federal Courts. The Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation sends a report on the Zantac MDL indicating the claims are growing fast.
U.S. District Judge Robin Rosenberg of the Southern District of Florida is awarded the MDL (Multidistrict Litigation) to consolidate all Zantac cancer lawsuits.
Drug maker Sanofi (www.sanofi.com) issues a voluntary recall of all over-the-counter Zantac sold in the United States and Canada. They say they are concerned about “inconsistencies in preliminary test results.”
Multinational drug manufacturer Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories (www.drreddys.com) due to evidence of NDMA rising in their ranitidine products.
Walgreens, Walmart, CVS, Target, and Kroger remove their ranitidine products just before they are recalled.
Manufacturer Sandoz (www.sandoz.com) issues a recall of generic versions of Zantac citing same concerns of NDMA contamination.
Walgreens, CVS Pharmacy, Walmart and Walgreens stop selling Zantac and any other ranitidine drug in the over-the-counter format because of the NDMA concern.
The first FDA warning stating that the preliminary findings on ranitidine show N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) in Zantac.
Valisure (www.valisure.com) detects “extremely high” levels of NDMA exceeding 3 million nanograms per Zantac tablet. This contamination far exceeds the FDA’s permissible daily intake of 96 nanograms.
Stanford University completes a study on Zantac and NDMA in urine. It finds patients taking a low level of Zantac (150 milligrams) had NDMA urine levels exceeding 47,000 nanograms. They also believed that the actual NDMA concentration in the stomach was much higher.
Both Zantac and Tagamet are found in a study of peptic ulcer patients to create an increased risk for bladder cancer.
Who knew about Zantac’s Cancer Risks? The Manufacturers?
There is good reason to be suspicious that manufacturers knew there was a problem with Zantac. The warnings and eventual recall did not come out of a vacuum. As the lawsuits gain traction the information will get clearer. However, at this point information is surfacing that shows the manufacturers knew for decades that Zantac may contain dangerous levels of NDMA. They did not take any action to investigate or protect their consumers. NDMA is a clear and strong cancer-causing agent. It was clearly a problem in this product, yet the manufacturers kept consumers buying and using it until the FDA forced them to take it off the shelves.
Italian Study Finds Potential Cancer Risk in Zantac Use
In 1981, before Zantac was approved for sale in the U.S., there was a study completed in Italy. That study showed the potential cancer risk of Zantac. It indicated that by raising gut bacteria, Zantac can transform nitrates into nitrites. This allows the nitrites to grow into cancer-causing chemicals called nitrosamines. NDMA is a nitrosamine.
The Italian researchers notified GSK of these findings. The company did not accept the findings and instead rationalized that patients wouldn’t have enough of the chemicals in their diet to create a carcinogen. When the FDA asked about this finding, GSK explained that Zantac would only be used in short-term therapy. Any real cancer risk would be resolved because the exposure to any buildup of the carcinogens would be resolved and eliminated. Then GSK allowed Zantac to be prescribed to patients for long-term use. We estimate that 16 million annual prescriptions of Zantac were sold for long-term use.
After 20 years on the market, a new study was conducted on Zantac and cancer. The 2004 study confirmed patients taking Zantac or Tagamet for peptic ulcers continued to be at an increased risk for bladder cancer. Still, the manufacturers of Zantac did not believe their product could be dangerous.
In 2016 Stanford University found that even low dosages of Zantac led to huge build-ups of NDMA in the body. The Stanford study found that taking only 150 milligrams of Zantac created NDMA in urine at 500x the FDA safety levels.
Zantac Side Effects
This is not to say that Zantac has not had other issues. Every drug has interactions with certain individuals. Last year’s FDA rulings made them issue a warning about the potential dangerous levels of cancer-causing NDMA in Zantac. Until that time the only warnings listed were the following side effects such as:
Hives or rash, difficulty breathing, swelling of the face or throat, nausea or loss of appetite, jaundice or dark urine, fever, chills, cough, chest pain , irregular heart rate, bruising or bleeding, headaches, dizziness or tiredness, insomnia, diarrhea or constipation.
After the FDA warning, Zantac patients are alerted to a far greater list of cancer threats. That list includes the following: Liver cancer, Lung cancer, Pancreatic cancer, Colorectal cancer, Bladder cancer, Kidney cancer, and Esophageal cancer. Keep in mind that the science is developing. Breast, Kidney, Prostate, Lung, and many other cancers are not being related to the NDMA exposure and build-up on the patients’ system. The experts are done with their testing. We are concerned that many other cancers will become associated with NDMA.
If you or anyone you know took Zantac, you must monitor your health systems.
If you or a loved one were diagnosed with any form of cancer after taking Zantac, you may qualify for substantial financial compensation from a lawsuit.
Starting the legal process is simple. Almost all aspects of the case can be handled from the comfort of your home. Many of them right on your cell phone, computer, or handheld device.
Our qualified Zantac lawyers are prepared to take on your Zantac claim. This will include our investment in the investigation of your individual case and the review of your medical and pharmacy records. We will uncover all the details your doctor will not discuss with you.
Our Zantac lawyers will then use the latest research and medical experts to file a defective drug claim against the manufacturer.
We are here to discuss your case with you. We believe it is important that you find out if you qualify for Zantac litigation benefits. We will file your claim within a few days of accepting it. The best thing is that we do not ask you for any money until the end of the case, when you win or accept a settlement. If that does not happen you won’t owe us a thing.