Zantac lawsuits overview:
- Who: A judge in Delaware gave the OK for more than 70,000 lawsuits filed against Zantac manufacturers GSK, Pfizer, Sanofi and Boehringer Ingelheim to proceed.
- Why: The judge ruled the evidence the plaintiffs presented was valid and that their claims that Zantac caused cancer warranted the assessment of a jury.
- Where: The decision was made in Delaware Superior Court.
- How to get help: Consumers or their loved ones who were diagnosed with certain cancers after taking Zantac or ranitidine may qualify to participate in a free Zantac cancer lawsuit investigation.
A judge in Delaware ruled that more than 70,000 lawsuits filed over claims the discontinued heartburn drug Zantac caused cancer can move forward.
The judge determined the evidence presented was valid and the plaintiff’s claims warrant a jury assessment, according to the Lawsuit Information Center.
The complaints are filed against the former makers of Zantac, pharmaceutical companies GSK, Pfizer, Sanofi and Boehringer Ingelheim, Reuters reports.
The pharmaceutical companies reportedly argued the opinions of expert witnesses, who have now been given the go ahead to testify, lacked the backing of scientific support.
GSK, Pfizer and Sanofi, in separate statements, say they disagree with the judge’s decision, that there is no reliable evidence to show Zantac caused cancer and that they plan to appeal, Reuters reports.
Ranitidine in Zantac degrades into cancer-causing chemical, lawsuits claim
Certain manufacturers and pharmacies reportedly halted the sale of Zantac in 2019 following the detection of cancer-causing chemical NDMA in some of the pills.
Complaints against the makers of Zantac soon followed, with consumers who claimed to have developed cancer arguing the pharmaceutical companies either knew or should have known the drug’s active ingredient, ranitidine, could cause the disease, Reuters reports.
The presence of NDMA in Zantac is reportedly caused by the degradation of ranitidine, which can break down into the cancer-causing chemical over time or if exposed to heat, the lawsuits claim.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration ultimately asked Zantac’s manufacturers to pull the drug off the market in 2020, Reuters reports.
Pfizer previously agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits last month filed over claims Zantac causes cancer. Sanofi similarly reached an undisclosed settlement with 4,000 personal injury claims involving Zantac in April.
The settled claims were being litigated in several different U.S. state courts and separate from those filed in Delaware. The current lawsuits may be the last chance people have to file a lawsuit over Zantac cancer.
Did you or a loved one develop cancer after taking the now-discontinued Zantac heartburn medication? Let us know in the comments.
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