Zantac Cancer Lawsuit | Lawyer
Zantac lawsuits claim the drug Zantac can be contaminated with a cancer-causing substance called N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA). Our law firm is investigating potential cases for those who took Zantac or Ranitidine and then were diagnosed with bladder or stomach cancer.
We are nationally recognized as a leader in dangerous drugs litigation. We are listed in Best Law Firms in America 2022; and our firm’s founder, David Matthews, is recognized among the Best Lawyers in America and one of the Top 100 National Trial Lawyers.
Related: Zantac Recall Cancer Scare
What is Zantac?
Zantac, or ranitidine, was once the world’s top-selling drug. It is available either by prescription or over the counter. In Sept. 2019, the FDA began investigating whether Zantac causes carcinogens to form in its users. It is suspected that Zantac causes levels of the probable carcinogen N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) to rise when ingested by users.
FDA Discovers Carcinogen in Zantac
The U.S. FDA reported on September 13, 2019 that it had discovered the carcinogenic contaminant N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) in Zantac (ranitidine).
The FDA advisory stated that the level of contamination is “low”; however, the levels the agency called low have been found to be between 3,000 and 26,000 times higher than what the FDA had determined to be “safe.”
The first Zantac lawsuit was filed in California on the same day the FDA issued its advisory. Plaintiffs in Zantac lawsuits accuse drug makers Sanofi and Boerhringer Ingelheim of making, marketing, and selling a product they knew or should have known had been contaminated with an industrial chemical known to cause cancer.
Investigating the Cause of NDMA Contamination
The exact cause of the NDMA contamination is still under investigation. Nevertheless, during the period in which Boerhinger Ingelheim and Sanofi made and marketed Zantac, scientific research showed a clear link between ranitidine – the active ingredient listed in Zantac – and NDMA. The research showed that when ranitidine comes into contact with water, the chemical reaction creates NDMA.
NDMA, Zantac Complications, Symptoms
Besides causing cancer, NDMA is a potent hepatotoxin, a chemical which damages the liver. Even short-term exposure to NDMA can cause liver damage, including liver fibrosis and scarring. Long-term exposure can also increase the risk of liver tumors, kidney tumors, and lung tumors.
NDMA overexposure symptoms include headaches; fever; nausea; jaundice; vomiting; abdominal cramps; enlarged liver; dizziness; and reduced function of the liver, kidneys, lungs.
Adverse effects linked with Zantac include:
- Cancer
- Tumors of the liver, kidney, lungs
- Nervous system disorders
- Arrhythmia or tachycardia (irregular or rapid heartbeat)
- Vitamin B-12 deficiency
- Hepatitis, liver failure, jaundice
- Increased risk of pneumonia
- Low platelet levels in the blood
- Skin rashes and hair loss
NDMA Extremely Hazardous
NDMA is classified as “extremely hazardous,” under the federal Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act of 1986 (EPCRA). Stringent reporting requirements, therefore, are supposed to guide companies and individuals who produce, store, or use NDMA in large amounts.
Do you have a Zantac lawsuit?
If you took Zantac and have been diagnosed with bladder or stomach cancer, we will seek damages that include past and future:
- medical expenses
- pain and suffering
- physical and mental injuries
- wage loss
- loss of enjoyment of life
- punitive damages, if relevant
Zantac Research
Research from Valisure, an online pharmacy, along with that of Stanford University and others, found that NDMA was the result of the “inherent instability” of the ranitidine molecule. This means that all manufacturers, brand or generic, as well as all lots of ranitidine-containing medications, are affected and could generate very high levels of NDMA in the human body.
Zantac cancer link studies include:
- A 2004 National Cancer Institute study linked Ranitidine (Zantac) to Bladder Cancer. Link.
- A 2016 Stanford University study gave 10 healthy volunteers 150 milligrams of Zantac and found that subsequent NDMA levels in their urine exceeded 47,000 nanograms Link
- A 2017 study shows why Urination of ranitidine into wastewater is suspected as a source of NDMA in municipal drinking water. Link
Zantac Lawsuit | Lawyer
If you or someone you love used Zantac and was later diagnosed with bladder or stomach cancer, contact our law firm now for a free legal consultation regarding a potential Zantac lawsuit. Call 888-520-5202 or email us now for a free confidential case review.
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