Zantac has been in the news lately. The FDA found that the drug might contain a substance called NDMA, which could be harmful if present in large amounts. Although the initial levels found were low, it was enough to cause alarm.
By October 2019, big pharmacy chains like CVS and Walgreens began pulling Zantac from their shelves, just to be safe. But things got more serious in April 2020 when the FDA asked for all Ranitidine products to be removed from the market.
New studies showed that NDMA levels in Zantac could increase over time, especially if the drug was stored in warm places. This was a huge deal because Zantac had been used by millions of people around the world for heartburn and acid reflux since it came out in 1983. All this eventually led to the Zantac lawsuit.
Keeping up with Zantac lawsuit updates is important if you’re someone who is a part of the lawsuit.
The sections below explore all the essential information related to the Zantac lawsuit.
Overview of the Zantac Lawsuit
When NDMA was found in Zantac, a lot of people started suing the companies that made the drug, like Sanofi, Pfizer, Boehringer Ingelheim, and GlaxoSmithKline.
People say these companies knew or should have known about the NDMA problem but didn’t warn anyone. Now, many of those who took Zantac and later got cancer are trying to get compensation for what they went through.
A key point in these lawsuits is that Zantac’s main ingredient, ranitidine, isn’t very stable and can turn into NDMA under certain conditions. The people suing believe the companies should have made sure the drug was safe and told people about the risks. Instead, they say the companies kept saying Zantac was safe, even though they knew it could be dangerous.
In February 2022, a special federal court system was set up to handle all the Zantac cancer lawsuits. This system, called multidistrict litigation (MDL), was created to make it easier to manage the many cases being filed.
The cases were grouped together in the Southern District of Florida and are being overseen by Judge Robin L. Rosenberg. This setup helps to deal with the large number of lawsuits more efficiently.
Who May Be Eligible to File a Lawsuit?
If you meet the following criteria, you might be eligible to file a Zantac lawsuit.
- You must have taken brand-name Zantac for at least a year before your cancer diagnosis. Generic Ranitidine is not included.
- You need to have been diagnosed with bladder, stomach, esophageal, liver, or pancreatic cancer.
- You were younger than 20 when you stopped taking Zantac and were diagnosed with cancer, and younger than 89 at the time of diagnosis.
- You used Zantac at least once a week for a year or longer.
Recent Developments and Settlements in the Zantac Lawsuits
As of July 2024, there have been big updates in the Zantac lawsuits, with the drug’s manufacturers starting to settle many of the cases.
In May 2024, Sanofi agreed to pay between $200 million and $250 million to settle over 10,000 Zantac lawsuits. This came after a previous settlement in April 2024, where Sanofi paid $100 million to settle 4,000 more cases.
Even though these settlements are huge, they cover only a small part of the total lawsuits. Right now, there are still over 2,400 Zantac lawsuits waiting to be resolved. GlaxoSmithKline has also settled some cases quietly in early 2024, but the details are not public.
The ongoing legal battles and settlements show how complicated and changing the Zantac lawsuits are. While some people have received money for their claims, many are still waiting for their cases to be heard.
How these cases turn out could have a big impact on the drug industry and on people who rely on them.
