Have you ever filed a lawsuit before? Chances are good that you probably haven’t, but if you’ve taken the drug Zantac to combat heartburn, indigestion, or an ulcer condition, you might need a good attorney now. Since April 2020, when a formal recall was announced by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) for the drug Zantac, you may have realized that, if you were diagnosed with a form of cancer after taking the medication, it may be the reason why you developed that cancer. If so, you are not alone.
Thousands are in the same circumstance with you and they are finding out they have recourse when filing Zantac cancer claims. What are the facts?
NDMA (N-Nitroso dimethylamine)
NDMA is a chemical that is a contaminant known to cause cancer. While it may exist in minute amounts in some foods and water, it has been shown to cause cancer at elevated levels, which would have occurred while taking Zantac. It is also found in generic ranitidine medications. Ranitidine is an ingredient in Zantac. Independent investigations have proven that the levels of the contaminant consumed when taking Zantac are unacceptable, by a wide margin.
The FDA issued a formal recall in April 2020 (for both Zantac and generic ranitidine), although from September 2019 on, when safety warnings were first announced, retailers have been removing the products from their shelves and giving customers the money back that they spent on the products. The products were available over the counter, as well as with a prescription.
SHOULD YOU STOP TAKING ZANTAC?
The short answer is a resounding: YES. FDA advises anyone who is still taking Zantac, whether through a prescription or over the counter version, to contact their doctor immediately and try to find an alternative medication to treat the ailment for which Zantac was being used.
**COVID 19 note: It should also be noted that during the COVID-19 pandemic, the FDA is asking consumers not to return any unused medication to any return-medication centers, but to read the drug information packet to learn how best to dispose of the medication at home.
ZANTAC LAWSUIT FAQS
Can I file a Zantac lawsuit? You may be able to file a Zantac lawsuit if you took Zantac regularly before a cancer diagnosis, which possibly contaminated your body with the cancer-causing NDMA. The diagnosis would have to have been after the year 2000 and you would have had to have taken the drug for three months. You would also need to have been diagnosed at age 65 or younger. The drug was prescribed in dosages of 75 mg. and 150 mg., but often people would take the drug in increments of 300 mg. per day to find relief from their symptoms.
What cancers are associated with Zantac use? If you took Zantac and were later diagnosed with any of the following types of cancer, you may be able to file a Zantac lawsuit: stomach, bladder, liver, esophageal, kidney, brain, colon, rectal, intestinal, pancreatic, thyroid, nasal/throat, prostate, ovarian, uterine, testicular, lung, multiple myeloma, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, or Leukemia.
How do I get justice? Zantac cancer claims have led to increasing numbers of lawsuits being filed. These lawsuits seek to get compensation for those victims who were diagnosed with cancer that could potentially be linked to taking Zantac medication.
In February 2020, even before the formal recall announcement made by the FDA, more than 100 Zantac lawsuits were sent to a district court in Florida that culminated in consolidating the lawsuits into Multidistrict Litigation (MDL) hearings. Speak to an attorney at Clayton Trial Lawyers today to get answers to more Zantac lawsuit FAQs and to learn about your eligibility for filing a Zantac lawsuit.