Regular Zantac Users May Face Increased Cancer Risk
Zantac is one of the most widely used heartburn drugs in theUnited States. In 1988, amid aggressive marketing tactics that established thedrug as a safe and effective treatment for heartburn, acid reflux and other conditionsin which the stomach produces too much acid, Zantac became the first medicationto surpass $1 billion in annual sales. Zantac has been available on the marketin the U.S. for decades and is prescribed more than 15 million times a year. Sadly,regular users of Zantac and ranitidine are just now finding out that the medicationsthey have taken for years to treat heartburn and acid reflux may expose them tohigh levels of the cancer-causing chemical N-Nitrosodimethylamine . Thispotential cancer risk has resulted in dozens of lawsuits being filed againstthe makers of brand-name Zantac and generic ranitidine drugs.
What Type Of Cancer Did Zantac Cause
According to recent studies, a drug like Zantac can increase your risk of developing cancer. It belongs to a class of drugs called H2 blockers, which are used to treat various ailments, including GERD, heartburn, and acid reflux. However, these drugs have been linked to several types of cancer, including kidney, liver, and pancreatic cancer. Moreover, one chemical found in the drugs has been found to be a probable human carcinogen.
Zantac contains N-Nitrosodimethylamine , a carcinogen. This chemical is naturally produced in the human body and can also result from chemical reactions. Though it is not extremely common in humans, it is known to cause cancer in animals.
Since Zantac was first released to the public in 1985, it may have caused cancer in thousands of people. A class action lawsuit was filed against the manufacturers of the drug, claiming that they sold the drug despite knowing it was linked to cancer. As a precautionary measure, patients taking Zantac should discuss the possibility of switching to alternative medications. Most of the cancers associated with Zantac are usually treatable if they are detected early with standard diagnostic procedures.
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What Cancers Does Zantac Cause
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:
- Hematuria, or blood in the urine
The symptoms of bladder cancer frequently overlap with the symptoms of other conditions, so its important to look out for the more serious symptoms of bladder cancer, which involve pain. The most serious symptom is blood in the urine. If you experience this, contact a doctor immediately.
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Fda Warning Ranitidine Products Containing Ndma Poses Cancer Risk
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration reported an advisory on September 13, 2019, after discovering the carcinogenic contaminant NDMA in ranitidine, the active ingredient in Zantac, at levels between 3,000 to 26,000 times higher than FDA approved standards.
These high levels of NDMA put users at a higher risk of cancer.
The FDA acceptable threshold of daily NDMA intake is set at below 100 nanograms.
The plaintiffs cited a study that claims that a 150-milligram pill of Zantac contains over 2.5 million nanograms of NDMA.
Over-the-counter Zantac is typically sold in 150-milligram tablets the recommended dosage to treat peptic ulcer disease for adults is 300 milligrams a night for four to eight weeks.
Plaintiffs allege that Sanofi and Boehringer Ingleham knew the risks of NDMA formation in ranitidine and did not alert the public through the drugs label or through any other means.
Several published studies have shown that generic ranitidine users have a 400-fold increase of NDMA concentration in their urine.
The suit attests that had consumers known the risks, they would not have purchased or consumed ranitidine.
9 RANITIDINE PRODUCTS CONTAINING NDMA
These are the nine most common Zantac products and generic Zantac products containing ranitidine:
- Zantac 150 Tablets
Both class-action lawsuits and civil lawsuits have been filed against the manufacturers of Zantac.
These are separate types of lawsuits.
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What Are The Symptoms Of Zollinger
The symptoms of Zollinger-Ellison syndrome include:
- Discomfort such as gnawing, burning, or aching in the upper abdomen
Its important to see a doctor if youve been experiencing diarrhea, vomiting, and nausea in conjunction with a persistent discomfort in the upper abdomen, which can take the form of gnawing, burning, or aching.
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Posted Zantac Drug Lawsuit Update September 2022
In September 2022, the multidistrict litigation involving more than 2000 plaintiffs who had previously filed Zantac lawsuits in federal court received an order from Judge Rosenberg confirming the Claim Registry would be closed on September 14, 2022.
One week later, on September 21, 2022, the court began “Daubert” hearings, permitting both the defendant and plaintiff parties who examined experts in open court to evaluate testimony admissibility.
This “gatekeeping” threshold evaluates the reasonably reliable and scientifically sound expert testimony that would be provided at trial. All Zantac plaintiffs involved in the MDL litigation will provide expert testimony, proving their claim that Zantac contaminated with NDMA led to their Zantac cancer.
As the Dalbert hearings conclude, the judge will determine the reliability of expert testimony the jury will hear or dismiss Zantac cancer lawsuits filed by plaintiffs.
Our lawyers do not think the Zantac MDL judge will dismiss the heartburn medication lawsuits but instead allow the MDL to continue to the next level. We expect many Zantac settlement offers to be made in the coming months or years to prevent further Zantac multidistrict litigation as thousands more injured plaintiffs begin filing their lawsuits.
Prostate Cancer Survival Rates
As with all cancers, it is difficult to determine the exact survival rate for men who are diagnosed with prostate cancer since so many factors must be considered. Survival rates are set based on the stage of prostate cancer a man is diagnosed with at the time of diagnosis.
The survival rates are as follows for prostate cancer, according to the American Cancer Society:
- SEER stage: Localizednearly 100 percent
- SEER stage: Regionalnearly 100 percent
- SEER stage: Distant31 percent
- All SEER Stages combined98 percent
For example, this means that a man who is diagnosed with prostate cancer in the SEER stage, Localized, has a nearly 100 percent chance of survival after five years.
Our Featured Case Results
The popular heartburn/antacid drug Zantac was officially recalled by the US Food and Drug Administration on April 1, after investigations found that it contains unsafe levels of the carcinogen N-nitrosodimethylamine . There have been a number of lawsuits filed against Zantacs manufacturers by consumers diagnosed with cancer.
The petition for this recall was submitted by Valisure, the drug testing company which conducts routine reviews of Zantac and other drugs. After the petition in September 2019, further testing showed that NDMA levels can increase with higher temperatures, including during storage and when being processed by the body.
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What To Do If You Think Zantac Caused Your Prostate Cancer
If you were diagnosed with prostate cancer after taking Zantac regularly for a health problem, you are not alone. Several class action and individual lawsuits have been filed across the U.S. by individuals and loved ones who received a cancer diagnosis after taking Zantac or ranitidine products.
The basis for these lawsuits is generally one of negligence. Negligence is a legal theory in personal injury law that traces personal injury or wrongful death to the negligent behavior of an individual or entitysuch as a business or pharmaceutical company.
In the context of recent Zantac lawsuits, the negligence of named defendants refers to their failure to properly warn the government, healthcare providers, and the public of the amount of NDMA in their drugs, violating U.S. consumer protection laws.
The types of Zantac cancer lawsuits that have been filed include:
-
wrongful death lawsuits
Several plaintiffs who have taken legal action against Zantac drugmakers have not been diagnosed with cancer, but are nonetheless seeking compensation for the amount of money spent on Zantac through their regular use of the drugs.
If youve been diagnosed with prostate cancer after taking Zantac and experienced significant financial or emotional distress, an attorney will likely recommend filing an individual lawsuit to seek fair compensation for your losses. You may be eligible to file a zantac lawsuit for prostate cancer.
How Attorneys Prove Zantac Cancer Cases
What is your Zantac drug lawsuit worth? If you were harmed due to NDMA, ranitidine, or Zantac, your cases would be worth exactly how much you were hurt or damaged.
Zantac litigation and MDL cases where ranitidine contained high doses of NDMA are meant to reimburse the victim, not reward.
Let a Zantac cancer lawyer from our law offices review and analyze how the events may have caused your injury or losses.
- Injury: Did the NDMA in Zantac injure you physically or in any other way? Exposure to NDMA could result in cancer or cause pain and suffering that is not so easy to identify. Emotional scarring, diminished mental health, lost quality of life, long-term aggravation, and other non-economic damages should still be considered and recovered.
- Loss: Did the NDMA exposure to ranitidine in Zantac lead to extensive medical bills and out-of-pocket expenses due to your prostate, stomach, or other types of cancer? If you had to pay for extended hospital stays, lost paychecks while away from work, or suffer other tangible losses these will be factored into a global Zantac settlement.
Our Zantac attorneys provide free case analyses on Zantac cancer claims. Our attorneys have worked on many settlements involving drug malpractice and can discuss your options for a global NDMA Zantac settlement.
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Chances Of Getting Cancer After Taking Zantac
Although NDMA is linked to an increased cancer risk, evidence on the prevalence after cancer after Zantac use is limited at this time. These findings are very recent, and studies are currently under review. However, there are studies available about NDMA contamination in other medications.
For example, one 2020 study examined valsartan, a high blood pressure medication also found to have been contaminated by NDMA. This study found that approximately 12 to 30 cases of cancer occurred per every 100,000 valsartan patients. These patients took at least 320 milligrams of valsartan containing 24.1 micrograms of NDMA every day for at least four years.
While the cancer rate for valsartan may seem slim, findings are limited, and Zantac patients may see a higher risk of these conditions. In the 2020 study, the researchers acknowledged that the risk from NDMA in ranitidine is more problematic and may be greater.
Zantac Recalled Due To Potential Cancer Risk
Recently, multiple ranitidine and Zantac manufacturers recalled their products due to concerns that they contain high levels of NDMA, a carcinogen.
On April 1, 2020, the FDA requested that all Ranitidine products be removed from the market.
If you or a loved one were diagnosed with bladder, kidney, stomach, or another cancer after taking Zantac, contact our dangerous drug accident injury lawyers today for a free case review. Time to file your Zantac Lawsuit is limited.
Zantac , the popular over-the-counter heartburn medication, has recently been at the center of several newly filed lawsuits because of concerns that it contains NDMA, likely due to an inherent instability of the drug molecule. Recently, two class-action lawsuits were filed against Zantac manufacturer Sanofi-Aventis LLC and Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, who previously held rights to Zantac, with plaintiffs claiming that the companies knowingly put patient health at risk. Additionally, multiple personal injury cases have been filed in federal courts, which were in the Southern District of Florida in February 2020.
Because of these concerns, Zantac was recently pulled from many stores, and some forms of the generic medication have been recalled. Swiss pharmaceutical maker Novartis has also halted distribution of some generic Zantac pills, but they have not recalled the medication. At this time, Zantac manufacturers Sandoz LLC and Apotex, have recalled their products.
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How Long Does It Take To Develop Cancer After Taking Zantac
At this time, healthcare professionals are unsure about how long it takes to develop cancer after taking Zantac. They do know, however, that taking Zantac increases the risk of cancer by about 25 percent. Chronic Zantac users are at a higher risk of cancer than those who only used the medication as needed.
Certain health risks may also increase ones likelihood of developing cancer, including:
Ranitidine May Cause Cancer
Zantac and cancer are related. Recently, Zantac, a Ranitidine brand, was recalled by the Food and Drug Administration because of impurity built-up when stored at high temperatures.
The FDA sent letters to all manufacturers and requested to withdraw their Ranitidine products from the market. Also, consumers are advised to stop taking over-the-counter Ranitidine, both tablets and liquid. Also, patients taking prescription Ranitidine must first talk with their healthcare provider about other treatment options before stopping this medication.
Here are the details of the FDA report:
- An ongoing investigation is being carried out of a contaminant called N-Nitrosodimethylamine found in Ranitidine medications.
- NDMA is a human carcinogen, which is a substance that could potentially cause cancer).
- The FDA became aware of this fact in 2019 through an independent laboratory testing, wherein NDMA was found in Ranitidine.
- Sustained higher levels of NDMA exposure may increase the risk of cancer.
The FDA had also announced the proper way to dispose of Ranitidine to avoid any health and safety risks. Ongoing surveillance and monitoring are being conducted by the FDA to ensure public health.
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Experts: Why Ranitidine Won’t Return
The 2016 study, despite the measuring methods used that are now not recommended, was just one of many pointing to the potential NDMA-cancer link.
“Other studies have shown this using other methods,” says Ivan Oransky, MD, co-founder of Retraction Watch, which publicized the retraction of the study on June 15. “This wasn’t the only line of evidence that the FDA and others were citing when they made that decision to recall.â
“The ranitidine molecule itself is fundamentally unstable,” says David Light, CEO of Valisure, an online pharmacy and testing laboratory that first brought the problem of NDMA in ranitidine to the attention of the FDA in June 2019 before filing a petition in September seeking the drugâs recall.
“It will absolutely have no effect on the recall of ranitidine,” agrees Ron Najafi, PhD, CEO of Emery Pharma, a research laboratory that tested the medication using another measurement method approved by the FDA and then filed its own petition seeking a recall Jan. 2, 2020. Najafi is also working as a consultant for plaintiffs claiming ranitidine caused their cancers.
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How Does An H2
H2-blockers, or histamine h2-receptor antagonists, reduce the amount of acid that is produced in the stomach. They work by blocking the histamine h2 receptors in the stomachs parietal cells from producing stomach acid, which is a mixture of hydrochloric acid, potassium chloride, and sodium chloride.
While ranitidine is an h2 blocker, its not the only generic type of h2-blocker available. Other h2-blockers include:
Manufactures Ignored Information On Potential Toxicity Of Ranitidine
Zantac was initially developed by GlaxoSmithKline and approved for prescription use in 1983. The medication belongs to a class of drugs called H2-receptor antagonists that decrease stomach acid and are used to treat gastric ulcers, heartburn, acid indigestion, sour stomach, and other similar conditions.
Zantac became wildly successful, reaching sales of $1 billion by December 1986. It became available without a prescription 10 years later, and even after generic brands came onto the market, Zantac sales remained strong. As recently as 2018, it was one of the top 10 antacid tablet brands in the U.S.
The plaintiff notes that early on, there were signs that ranitidine, which contains a dimethylamine group, was highly likely to form NDMA when combined with other substances, like nitrites in the body. Many meals, for example, contain additional nitrates in addition to those found naturally in the body.
Early scientific studies, too, indicated that ranitidine could be toxic, but the manufacturers chose to ignore this information. The plaintiff brings counts of design defect, failure to warn, negligence and gross negligence, breach of warranties, and negligent misrepresentation and fraud. He seeks both compensatory and punitive damages.
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What Should You Do If You Take Ranitidine
As the FDA and other agencies around the world continue to investigate ranitidine, more details will become available. In the meantime, the FDA is not calling for individuals to stop taking the medication.
However, for many conditions, ranitidine is only recommended for short-term use. If you have been using ranitidine for a while, now would be a good time to discuss with your physician whether you still need it, and whether you might benefit from alternative treatment options, including other drug classes or a different H2 blocker. Based on what is known so far, there is no evidence that other H2 blockers or other heartburn medications are affected by NDMA impurities.
Some people might find antacids useful for relieving heartburn. Lifestyle changes, including avoiding certain foods and beverages, such as spicy foods, large or fatty meals, and alcohol, can also help prevent episodes of heartburn.