UPDATE 3/9/22: The Defendants now seem to be trying to tighten up the pool of compensable claims – based upon similar litigations, this can be interpreted as a prelude to settlement. On February 28, 2022, the MDL Court entered a Pretrial Order essentially seeking to identify and winnow down all of the claims that can properly be filed in federal court and all of the claims with designated cancers (bladder, esophageal, gastric/stomach, liver, and pancreatic). In this manner, the Defendants are also basically trying to limit, and make it much harder to pursue, both claims against retail and generic defendants, as well as claims involving non-designated primary cancers. This is all set against the backdrop of Defendants’ not so subtle efforts to enforce a definite statute of limitations in the litigation (remember that the market withdrawal of Zantac occurred back on April 1, 2020).
UPDATE 1/27/22: Pursuant to the MDL Court’s directives, on January 25, 2022, Plaintiffs’ filed a final disclosure of the types of cancer for which their experts were able to supply general causation reports. Those cancers are: 1) bladder; 2) esophageal; 3) gastric (stomach); 4) liver; and 5) pancreatic. This means that Plaintiffs’ current experts were unable to support claims of other types of cancers (kidney, breast, lung, prostate, etc.) at this time and that the future viability of any other cancer cases is in question.
What is Zantac?
Zantac is the brand name of a common heartburn medication called ranitidine. Ranitidine is a type of drug known as an H2 blocker, or H2 antagonist, which decreases stomach acid by blocking histamine receptors in the stomach. Accordingly, ranitidine can be used to treat peptic ulcers, gastroesophageal reflux disease, and related conditions.
Unfortunately, there have been multiple and ongoing recalls of ranitidine, after the testing of certain lots of the drug showed unacceptable levels of the probable human carcinogen N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA). However, based upon additional recent testing by a popular independent laboratory and resulting petition filed with the Federal Drug Administration (FDA), there are now claims that ranitidine, itself, causes high levels of NDMA exposure in patients. Essentially, the claims are that the unstable ranitidine molecule breaks down in the digestive tract to create harmful levels of NDMA. Thus, significant NDMA exposure would result from taking brand name or generic ranitidine, regardless of where it was manufactured.
Do I Have a Zantac Cancer Lawsuit Claim? What are the Zantac Cancer Side-Effects?
Recent tests appear to show that Zantac (ranitidine) may have been tainted with NDMA, a potentially cancer causing impurity, due to the breakdown of the unstable ranitidine molecule when exposed to heat and other environmental factors. Moreover, that breakdown may continue and intensify in the human body, once the drug is consumed. Similar types of NDMA exposure have been linked to various cancers, including:
- Stomach
- Small intestine
- Colorectal
- Esophageal
- Liver
- Bladder
And, in more limited circumstances:
- Prostate
- Pancreatic
- Leukemia
- Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma
- Multiple Myeloma
- Kidney
Accordingly, ranitidine has been the subject of voluntary recalls and a petition filed with the FDA seeking to halt the sale of ranitidine containing medications.
If you believe you have taken Zantac (ranitidine) and suffered one of these Zantac cancer injuries, an experienced Zantac attorney at Stark & Stark can help you assess your potential claims. Contact a Stark & Stark Zantac attorney now for a free consultation.
Are You Impacted by the Zantac Cancer Claims? You May Be Entitled to Compensation.
If you or a loved one have taken Zantac (ranitidine) and suffered an injury, it is strongly recommended that you seek counsel with a Stark & Stark Zantac attorney, who is experienced in Zantac cancer lawsuits, claims, and injuries.
Stark & Stark attorneys are actively seeking Zantac cancer settlements and filing Zantac cancer lawsuits against drug makers on behalf of patients injured by these potentially defective drugs.
Do not wait – there are different deadlines and statutes of limitations that apply to your potential claim. Let us review your potential claim at no cost to you. Contact a Stark & Stark Zantac cancer lawyer immediately.
How can a Stark & Stark Zantac Lawyer Help You?
Stark & Stark is committed to holding drug and medical device manufacturers liable when their products improperly endanger the public. If you or a member of your family has suffered injuries from taking Zantac (ranitidine), you may be entitled to compensation under the litigation process or via settlement.
We are not a marketing group. Stark & Stark is a law firm comprised of experienced trial lawyers. Stark & Stark is a national law firm pursuing thousands of cases throughout the country. We have been in business for over 80 years and have over 100 attorneys in offices located throughout New Jersey, Pennsylvania and New York.
Our Zantac lawsuit lawyers are experienced in pharmaceutical litigation cases and in negotiating with medical device and pharmaceutical settlement representatives. Let us help you.
Please contact Stark & Stark to speak with a Zantac attorney, free of charge, who can help assess any claims that you may have and to help you understand the Zantac settlement and lawsuit process. We specialize in Zantac settlements, allow us to help you today.
