Zantac Cancer Lawsuits: Do You Have a Claim?
Each year, U.S. doctors write more than 15 million prescriptions for the heartburn medication ranitidine, the generic version of Zantac. In April of 2020, six months after independent testing first indicated that the drug Zantac could break down into n-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA), a known carcinogen, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration requested that retailers and manufacturers take both the brand name Zantac and the generic ranitidine off the market. The FDA's request raises health concerns for everyone who has taken the popular heartburn medication first approved by the FDA in 1983.
What is Ranitidine?
Ranitidine, the generic name for Zantac, is a histamine-2-blocker and is sold over the counter and by prescription. It works by reducing stomach acid to prevent acid reflux or heartburn. Doctors also use the medication to treat and prevent stomach and intestinal tumors in both adults and children. Zantac is also frequently used to treat gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and conditions where the body produces too much stomach acid like Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome.
What Kinds of Illnesses Does Zantac Cause?
Using Zantac or ranitidine can increase your chance of developing pneumonia. It can also cause serious side effects such as:
- Stomach pain
- Jaundice
- Easy bruising or bleeding
- Fast or slow heart rate
- Fever, chills, coughing with mucus, and shortness of breath
Because of NDMA contamination, Zantac or ranitidine may also lead to cancers such as:
- Kidney cancer
- Stomach cancer
- Intestinal cancers
- Esophageal cancer
- Colorectal cancer
- Liver cancer
Who Is at Risk?
You may be at risk if you have taken Zantac or ranitidine for more than six consecutive months. Occasional use of ranitidine may not have the same risk because researchers believe the effect is cumulative. The longer you've taken ranitidine, the higher the risk. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency considers NDMA, the carcinogen found in ranitidine and Zantac, a probable human carcinogen because animal studies show a link between prolonged exposure to NDMA could lead to liver, lung, and other tumors.
What Can I Do?
If you believe that Zantac or ranitidine harmed you or a loved one and you have a related cancer diagnosis, you may be eligible to join the Zantac lawsuits currently pending in multi-district litigation. Call the Madeksho Law Firm at 888-910-6376 or contact us through our onlineform.
