Zantac Lawsuits

Zantac Lawyer

For many years, the drug Zantac (ranitidine), manufactured by the pharmaceutical company Sanofi and in generic form by other companies, was used by people all across the U.S. in both prescription and over-the-counter formulation to treat various acid-related gastrointestinal issues. Recent studies have shown that ranitidine can interact inside the human body to form a chemical compound known to potentially cause cancer.

Users of Zantac and ranitidine have come forward over the past several months to allege that their cancers were caused by their use of Zantac/ranitidine. They contend that Sanofi and other generic manufacturers knew about the heightened risks of cancer caused by use of the drug and failed to disclose this information to physicians and to the public.

Increasing evidence of the dangers of use of Zantac/ranitidine have led retailers to stop selling the drug and caused the FDA to request manufacturers withdraw it from the U.S. market.

If you have previously taken Zantac or ranitidine and have been diagnosed with cancer or another medical condition, you may be entitled to financial compensation for your medical treatments, lost income, and pain and suffering if it can be shown that your condition is linked to your use of Zantac/ranitidine.

Don’t wait another day to begin the process of pursuing the compensation you and your family need and deserve. Contact Ward Black Law today for a free initial case review to discuss your rights and options and to learn more about how a Zantac law firm can help you achieve the outcome you deserve in your case.

Dangers of Zantac

Zantac, also known by its generic formulation name of ranitidine, functions as an H2 blocker, decreasing stomach acid by blocking histamine receptors in the stomach. Zantac/ranitidine has been prescribed and used in over-the-counter formulations to treat peptic ulcers, GERD, and other gastrointestinal issues.

However, recent independent laboratory testing led to a petition filed with the FDA claiming that Zantac can cause high levels of the compound nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) in users of the drug. The studies claim that Zantac or ranitidine is an unstable molecule that breaks down in the digestive tract and comes into contact with nitrates in the tract to form NDMA, leading to high levels of the compound in the patient’s body.

NDMA is listed as a likely carcinogenic compound for humans. The compound is used in laboratory testing to induce cancers in rats and mice. NDMA exposure has been associated to various kinds of cancers, including:

The potentially toxic nature of NDMA can also cause other damage to the liver, bladder, brain, kidneys, stomach, and lungs.

What You Need to Know about the Zantac Recall

In 2019, Valisure, an online pharmacy, advised the FDA that it had found NDMA in various batches of Zantac and ranitidine produced by multiple different manufacturers. As a result of the petition, retailers across the U.S. began withdrawing prescription and over-the-counter formulas of Zantac and ranitidine from their shelves.

This ultimately led to Zantac’s manufacturer, Sanofi, and 14 manufacturers of generic ranitidine to recall the medication in the U.S. By April 2020, the FDA requested manufacturers of all ranitidine-containing products withdraw their products from the U.S., after additional testing by the agency showed the drug posed a risk to public health.

Unlike other prior medication recalls that were motivated by discoveries that batches of drugs had been contaminated by NDMA, Zantac/ranitidine was recalled because testing had confirmed that the drug had the capacity to form NDMA inside the human body.

The recall of Zantac has led to numerous lawsuits against Sanofi and manufacturers of generic ranitidine, claiming they knew of the risk that Zantac/ranitidine could form NDMA in the human body but failed to warn the public of these risks.

The first lawsuit was filed in late 2019 by a man who had been taking Zantac since 2009 and developed breast cancer, a rare condition in men, in 2013. Other cases were filed shortly thereafter, with plaintiffs claiming they had developed bladder and other gastrointestinal cancers.

These Zantac/ranitidine lawsuits were consolidated by the U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation in February 2020 into the Southern District of Florida. Over 140 cases are currently pending in the MDL.

Who Can File a Claim for Zantac Compensation?

Users of Zantac or ranitidine who have developed cancers or other medical conditions linked to exposure to NDMA may be entitled to file a claim for compensation for the physical injuries, harm, and other damages they have incurred.

In addition, several class-action lawsuits have been filed on behalf of users of Zantac/ranitidine, including those who have not yet been diagnosed with cancer or suffered any other serious adverse side effects, seeking refunds of their purchase price due to the defective nature of the drug and manufacturers’ failure to disclose this defect to purchasers.

Our Zantac Law Firm Demands Full Compensation for You

A person who has developed cancer after taking high doses of Zantac/ranitidine for at least one year or who has taken any dosage of the drug over an extended period of time may be entitled to seek compensation for damages including:

• Ongoing and future medical expenses, including surgeries, chemotherapy or radiation therapy, targeted cancer therapies, and palliative care
• Lost income for time you miss from work while treating and recovering from cancer or another medical condition caused by Zantac
• Lost earning capacity, if you are disabled from returning to your old job or level of work or are fully disabled from returning to any form of employment
• Loss of enjoyment or quality of life, such as the inability to participate in life activities, or the loss of quality years of life due to cancer or other medical condition
• Pain and suffering, or the emotional and physical anguish brought about by your medical condition
• Loss of consortium, which compensates your spouse for the loss of your companionship and society as a married couple

If you have a close family member who has passed away due to cancer that may have been caused by Zantac/ranitidine use, you and your family may also be entitled to wrongful death damages. These may include the loss of your loved one’s services and financial contributions to your family and household and for the loss of your loved one’s companionship, society, guidance, care, and advice.

Time Is Limited for Filing a Zantac Lawsuit

If you’ve been diagnosed with cancer or otherwise harmed due to use of Zantac or ranitidine, you have a limited period under North Carolina’s statute of limitations to file a lawsuit to seek compensation for your damages.

In North Carolina, you generally have three years from the date you are diagnosed with a medical condition or otherwise learn that you have been harmed by Zantac/ranitidine use to file your lawsuit.

If you fail to file your lawsuit prior to the expiration of the limitations period, the court can permanently dismiss your lawsuit and you will lose your right to seek compensation in court.

In North Carolina, if your loved one has died, a wrongful death claim must generally be filed within two years of the date of death. We can help you understand these time limits in your particular case.

How Our Zantac Cancer Lawyers Can Help You

If you are suffering from cancer and suspect that it was caused by your use of Zantac or ranitidine, you may be wondering “how can a Zantac lawsuit attorney near me help?” When you choose Ward Black Law to represent you in your claim against the drug manufacturers for compensation for the harm you have suffered, you can expect that our skilled, dedicated legal team will:

• Thoroughly investigate your case to uncover the evidence necessary to show that your cancer or other medical condition was caused by your use of Zantac/ranitidine
• Work with medical experts to build a strong, persuasive legal case that demonstrates a causal connection between your illness and your use of Zantac, and with other experts in financial or vocational fields to prove your case for damages
• Aggressively negotiate with the drug manufacturers to seek a full and fair settlement of your case
• Prepare your case to go to court if a settlement cannot be reached, helping you through the litigation process (especially if your case is consolidated in a multidistrict litigation) and vigorously advocating on your behalf to the judge and jury to get a verdict and judgment in your favor

Recognizing the Serious Side Effects of Zantac

Known side effects of Zantac or ranitidine include:

If these side effects become severe or don’t go away on their own after a few days, you should talk to your prescribing physician.

Other serious side effects of Zantac/ranitidine use may include:

• Cancer, including breast cancer, bladder cancer, colon/colorectal cancer, esophageal/throat/nasal cancer, kidney cancer, liver cancer, lung cancer, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, ovarian cancer, pancreatic cancer, prostate cancer, stomach cancer, testicular cancer, thyroid cancer
• Liver inflammation, signaled by yellowing of the eyes or skin, tiredness, dark urine, and stomach pain
• Changes in brain function, including confusion, agitation, depression, hallucinations, and blurry vision
• Abnormal or fast heart rate
• Shortness of breath

If you experience any of these serious side effects, you should call your doctor. If you believe these side effects or symptoms may be life-threatening or if you feel you are experiencing a medical emergency, call 911 or go to the emergency room.

What to Do If You Have Been Harmed by Zantac

If you have been diagnosed with cancer or another medical condition and you are taking Zantac or ranitidine or have taken the drug in the past, you should consider the following steps. They may help you protect your legal rights and your options for seeking compensation for the harm you have suffered due to Zantac/ranitidine. They may also help document your damages and help establish the amount of compensation you may be entitled to:

• If you are currently taking Zantac or ranitidine, you should immediately talk to your physician about stopping your use of Zantac/ranitidine and switching over to a safer alternative or discussing whether you still need acid-blocking medication
• If you have stopped taking Zantac or ranitidine but still have leftover medication, do not dispose of your leftover medication or bring it to a pharmacy for disposal. Instead, you should store and secure any leftover medication. It may later be used to prove that you took Zantac or ranitidine. It can also be laboratory tested to see if the particular formulation of Zantac/ranitidine you took could cause the formation of NDMA in your system
• You should also try to collect and preserve any documents that can show the duration of your use of Zantac or ranitidine, including prescription slips or receipts for the purchase of over-the-counter Zantac or ranitidine
• You should speak to your treating physician if you have been diagnosed with cancer about any potential links between your cancer and your Zantac/ranitidine use. If you have not already suffered any serious side effects or medical conditions, you should also talk to your physician about your potential risks for cancer or other conditions and whether you should undergo regular monitoring or testing for cancers
• Finally, you should speak to an experienced Zantac lawyer from Ward Black Law to learn more about your legal rights and options after taking Zantac or ranitidine and what kinds of compensation you may be entitled to, especially if you have been diagnosed with cancer or other conditions that have been linked to Zantac/ranitidine