Zantac Mass Tort

Zantac Mass Tort

zantac mass tort

In September of 2019, The Food and Drug Administration issued a public safety warning to consumers about possible cancer risks from using ranitidine. On April 1, 2020, the Food and Drug Administration requested that all Ranitidine products be removed from the market after studies confirmed a risk to public health. Ranitidine is an over-the-counter antihistamine and antacid sold under the brand name Zantac that is used to prevent and treat heartburn and treat stomach ulcers, gastroesophageal reflux disease and other conditions that cause an excess of stomach acid. 

The Food and Drug Administration recalled the drug after their investigation of a contaminate known as N-Nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) present in ranitidine medications. The agency has determined that the impurity in some ranitidine products increases over time and when stored at higher than room temperatures and may result in consumer exposure to unacceptable levels of this impurity. Due to the findings of the investigation, the Food and Drug Administration recalled the products immediately and also stopped new ranitidine products from being distributed via prescription or over the counter. 

NDMA is a semi-volatile organic chemical that can form naturally or unintentionally through industrial processes, NDMA is a known carcinogen. NDMA is classified as an extremely hazardous substance in the United States and ranitidine, the active ingredient in Zantac, is known to have unacceptable levels of NDMA form in it over time. When ranitidine is stored at warmer than room temperature, the process in which NDMA forms accelerates. NDMA is commonly ingested in low levels in foods and water and in low amounts, is not expected to lead to an increase in risk of cancer. 

Do I Have a Claim?

Many law firms around the United States have filed mass torts on behalf of clients who had developed cancer after using Zantac. The number of lawsuits filed against the manufacturers and distributors of Zantac are expected to grow due to the millions of people that used Zantac and generic equivalents regularly to treat heartburn and other ailments. 

In order to be eligible to opt in to Zantac litigation, you will likely have to:

  1. Prove that you took Zantac and that you used it for an extended period of time

Zantac was both available as a prescription and as an over the counter medication. It should be fairly simple to prove that you used it and for how long, either through medical records, pharmacy notes or receipts.

  1. Show that you have an injury

In order to opt in to a Zantac lawsuit or to receive settlement funds, you will need to show that you have been diagnosed with one or more of the cancers designated by the suit:

  • Stomach
  • Liver
  • Leukemia
  • Colorectal
  • Esophageal 
  • Pancreatic
  • Small Intestine
  • Prostate
  • Multiple Myeloma
  • Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma 
  1. Prove that your injury is related to the prolonged use of Zantac

You will have to prove that your use of Zantac is what caused your cancer diagnosis. It is important to note that things like dosage and duration matter. For example, you would not be successful trying to claim that you developed cancer after taking Zantac once or a few times. You could also not claim that your use of Zantac led to your cancer if you received your diagnosis after only taking Zantac for a few days. Most clients in Zantac lawsuits have taken Zantac regularly for at least a year and received a cancer diagnosis one year after they began taking the drug regularly. 

If you have questions about a case, contact a defective product lawyer, like the professionals at Eglet Adams, for help with questions about prolonged use of Zantac.