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Two new Zantac lawsuits have been filed in federal court in Connecticut.  These suits will be sent to the Southern District of Florida where all federally filed Zantac lawsuits were recently centralized for pre-trial proceedings.

All three plaintiffs claim that after using Zantac for extended periods, they suffered serious injuries. They blame the manufacturer for failing to warn about the risks associated with their acid-reducing drug.

Two Plaintiffs Blame Zantac for Their Cancer Diagnoses

The first plaintiff is a resident of Kentucky. He began taking Zantac in the year 2000 and continued to take it through 2018. He claims that as a result of his exposure to Zantac, he was diagnosed with esophageal cancer. He blames his diagnosis on his exposure to Zantac because it has been found to contain N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA), a cancer-causing agent. Had he known that the medication contained NDMA, he says he never would have taken it. He has suffered pain and loss of enjoyment of life as a result of his injuries and has also lost earnings and earning capacity.

The second plaintiff is a resident of Iowa. She purchased and ingested Zantac between 2009 and 2015. She claims that as a result of using the drug, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. According to her complaint, she incurred and will continue to incur expenses in connection with medical treatment, and has suffered lost earnings and loss of earning capacity.

Both plaintiffs believe that their intake of Zantac caused their cancer, and seek to hold the manufacturers liable for their injuries.

FDA Requests Recall of All Zantac and Ranitidine Products

Zantac (ranitidine) has been on the market since 1983 when the FDA approved it to treat gastric ulcers, heartburn, acid indigestion, sour stomach, and other gastrointestinal conditions. It belongs to a class of drugs called histamine H2-receptor antagonists, or H2 blockers, that decrease the amount of acid the stomach produces.

Even at the time of its introduction, there was evidence that ranitidine, which contains a dimethylamine (DMA) group within the molecule, could form NDMA when exposed to nitrates already found in the body. Yet the manufacturers chose to ignore that evidence and Zantac went on to become extremely successful, earning the original manufacturer GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) $1 billion in total sales by December 1986.

In June 2019, online pharmacy Valisure found through its own independent testing that some Zantac products contained NDMA at extremely elevated, unsafe levels. In September of that year, the company petitioned the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to recall the drug. The FDA conducted its own investigations and found through its independent testing that several products had unsafe levels of the cancer-causing agent. Several companies recalled their products as a result.

On April 1, 2020, the FDA requested that all Zantac and generic ranitidine products be recalled from the market. Laboratory tests had shown that NDMA in the products could increase with time and exposure to heat.

7 Comments

  1. Gravatar for Lynn Bell
    Lynn Bell

    Just wondering if I qualified for this law suit as I was diagnosed with bladder cancer and I am in remission at this time. Not sure what law firm is handling my law suit. Pretty sure they were out of Texas. Just wondering when it will all end?

    1. Gravatar for Shirley Voelzke
      Shirley Voelzke

      Yes, I also wonder if I qualify for this,I had kidney cancer,right kidney removed,in remission right now. I also signed on with a layer representing the lawsuit, and how long is this going to take? I also just had a biopsy done in April of 2020, came back benign, but have to get it done again in October 2020 as I now have 2 masses in my right breast! This all has taken a toll on my body and my life! Anxiety and depression worse due to fear of breast being cancer after going through the pain and fears before and after having my kidney cancer

      1. Gravatar for ROBIN
        ROBIN

        I called after my diagnosis of Kidney Cancer and because I had smoked in the past I did not qualify.

  2. Gravatar for Angela Matlin
    Angela Matlin

    I took Zantac from 1997 to 2019. I suffered from heartburn everyday! I took Zantac several times a day. In 2019 I had the linx device put in on my esophagus to prevent heartburn. I have not had heartburn since. What if something happens down the road will I still be eligible to file a suit. I got the procedure because I found out about the recall.

    1. Gravatar for Lisa M Jackson
      Lisa M Jackson

      I was wondering the same thing. I used it in the 90s and again until last year when the doctor switched me. I have esophageal lesions and an esophageal hernia.

  3. Gravatar for james j delaura
    james j delaura

    Had bladder and prostate cancer after using Zantac . Want to find out if I qualify for the law suit.

  4. Gravatar for Judith K. Stuard
    Judith K. Stuard

    I been taking Zantac for years and I have had a lung removed because of cancer.

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