In April of 2020, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a statement requesting that the popular drug Zantac be removed from stores. This was done because laboratory tests had found that the drug contained a substance that could potentially cause cancer. Following this statement, manufacturers recalled all prescription and over-the-counter drugs containing the drug ranitidine, including the name-brand Zantac and generic equivalents. While this recall may have helped some people avoid being exposed to harmful substances, it did not address the harm caused to those who had used Zantac in the past. Those who have contracted cancer after using drugs containing ranitidine will need to understand their options for taking legal action against the manufacturers of these medications.

Litigation in Zantac Injury Cases

Prior to the recall, Zantac and its generic equivalents were commonly used to treat conditions that affect the digestive system, such as heartburn, acid reflux, or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Independent laboratory tests that were conducted in 2019 found that ranitidine drugs contained unacceptable levels of N-Nitrosodimethylamine, which is more commonly known as NDMA.

NDMA is a carcinogen, and it may cause cancer in multiple parts of the body, including the stomach, esophagus, intestines, colon, rectum, pancreas, kidneys, bladder, liver, lungs, breasts, or prostate. While NDMA is present in certain foods, the FDA recommends that people avoid consuming more than 96 nanograms of this substance each day. However, some tests found that ranitidine products contained as much as 2 million nanograms of NDMA per dose.

Most people have experienced heartburn or gastroesophageal reflux at some point in their life. Often, people suffering from stomach or intestinal distress turn to prescription or over-the-counter antacids to alleviate their symptoms. Most trust that the medications available at the pharmacy are safe. However, sometimes drugs must be recalled because a risk is discovered. The popular medication Zantac has been recalled after it was discovered that the medication could increase users’ risk of cancer. If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with cancer after taking Zantac, you should know that you might have a valid defective drug claim.

Background Information Regarding Zantac Concerns

Zantac is the brand name of a medication called ranitidine. It is an H2 blocker used to treat heartburn and stomach ulcers. Concerns about the medication’s safety were first brought up because the active ingredient, ranitidine HCl, breaks down into a chemical called Nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA). The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classified NDMA as one that is likely carcinogenic to humans. 

NDMA has been linked to many types of cancer including:

Nexium and Prilosec are two drugs produced by pharmaceutical manufacturer AstraZeneca that are used to treat gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). They belong to a category of drugs known as proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) and both are available to users without a prescription.

Another similarity between the drugs is that both have been named in defective drug lawsuits alleging that they are unreasonably dangerous and that their manufacturer was negligent by failing to properly test the drugs, failing to warn consumers about the risks associated with taking these drugs, and that it actively concealed the drugs' dangers to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and misrepresented the drugs in its marketing materials.

Numerous claims have been filed against Johnson & Johnson and Janssen Pharmaceuticals, the manufacturers of diabetes medication Invokana. These claims allege that the manufacturers did not adequately warn doctors and their patients of the drug's potential side effects, which include an increased risk of kidney failure, foot and leg amputations, and ketoacidosis.

Like manufacturers of other consumer products, drug manufacturers have the responsibility to ensure that their products are safe for consumers to use before releasing them to the market. When a product cannot be released without some potential for side effects, manufacturers must clearly warn patients and the physicians who prescribe their products about these side effects so they can make informed decisions about using the drugs. A patient who is harmed because of a manufacturer's failure to disclose a drug's side effects can seek compensation for his or her related damages through a defective drug claim.

Abilify is an antipsychotic drug used to treat bipolar disorder, depression, schizophrenia, and Tourette Syndrome. In certain cases, it can also help autistic individuals manage their irritability. Its generic name is Aripiprazole. It is also sold under the brand names Aristrada and Abilify Maintena.

Any drug can have potentially harmful side effects. Drug manufacturers have the responsibility to disclose these side effects to doctors who might prescribe the drug and patients who might take it. When a patient suffers from these side effects without realizing the risk he or she took by taking the medication, the patient may seek compensation for his or her resulting damage through a defective drug claim.