Millions of people have trusted Zantac for almost 40 years until now. Since September 2019, Zantac has been the subject of serious legal proceedings due to shocking discoveries pertaining to its contents.
It all started when a quality testing lab facility known as Valisure found Zantac to contain significant traces of a dangerous and commonly known carcinogen called NDMA. NDMA or Nitrosodimethylamine is categorized as a group 2A carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. Today, Zantac is a questionable heartburn medicine linked to stomach cancer, bladder cancer, esophageal cancer, lung cancer and liver cancer.
GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) is the primary defendant and was the first to manufacture the drug in question under the brand name Zantac. GSK is a pharmaceutical company known to sell several extremely helpful and effective drugs such as Theraflu, Advil, and Centrum. Similarly, Zantac was widely used to treat various gastrointestinal conditions such as heartburn and acid indigestion. Conversely, people today search more about “Zantac stomach cancer” or “liver cancer” online instead of “aid for cancer” or “cancer support”.
How Did It Escalate
After the shocking discovery, several more tests and studies were conducted that further proved and consolidated the findings of the Connecticut-based laboratory. The results prompted the FDA to task their own experts to conduct testing on Zantac. This was followed by the issuing public warnings and orders that forced major retailers such as CVS, Walmart, and Walgreens to pull Zantac off their shelves immediately.
As the pieces of evidence that proved the existence of NDMA in Zantac piled up, the warnings and news spread among the public like wildfire, causing widespread distress, anger, and a sense of loss. Cancer caused by drugs that support lives is an extremely disturbing phenomenon.
This led to the initiation of hundreds of thousands of lawsuits that eventually paved the way to massive class action and mass tort cases. These lawsuits allege that Zantac causes cancer. It also implies that the drug manufacturers may have known about this risk and said nothing. Law officers expect thousands of Zantac lawsuits to be filed over the next few years.
Current Multidistrict Scenario
The Zantac case has now become an MDL (multidistrict litigation), scheduled to be heard in Miami, Florida. This means all the cases spread across the country will now be consolidated into one and be heard at the designated court later this year.
Many people are curious about mass tort cases as they can become quite long and complicated. During the initial stages, the plaintiff steering committee talks to the experts. In this case, the experts include doctors and epidemiologists.
A series of epidemiological studies led to the issuing of a new court order. According to the latest court order, only five cancers remain to stand a chance of receiving any kind of Zantac compensation. All the other cancers previously included in the litigation are now considered invalid. For example, somebody who filed a suit followed by breast cancer or kidney cancer diagnosis after consuming Zantac will get dismissed.
To Conclude
While drugmakers claimed Zantac was a safe and effective drug, unexpected test results found that the main ingredient in Zantac had the potential to convert into a carcinogen. This shocking discovery led Zantac to experience a decline from making billions of dollars for its manufacturer to being pulled off the shelves in massive numbers.
Some of the best medical and research lab facilities in the world have corroborated the effects of Zantac multiple times. Millions of people remain frantic, knowing they were regular users of this drug. Whereas the number of people who have already been diagnosed with cancer caused by the effects of Zantac continues to climb.
The average price of new cancer drugs in the US is more than $100,000 a year. This high cost of cancer drugs places a huge financial burden on patients and their families. It’s unfair for the victim and their families to bear these costs with their lives and peace of mind, especially when it’s caused by the negligence and cupidity of multinational pharmaceuticals.
Attorneys are currently reviewing lawsuits brought by former Zantac users suffering from the side effects caused by the GSK drug. If you were a regular user of Zantac and are being or have been treated for cancer, you might be eligible to get compensation from this case. We recommend you seek guidance from an experienced mass tort attorney to proceed with your case further and ensure you are compensated for your losses.
