New York City Zantac Lawsuit - Cancer

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    We are not longer accepting Zantac cases.

    If you took the heartburn medication Zantac and later developed cancer as a result, then you might be entitled to seek significant financial compensation from the manufacturer. Both Zantac and its generic counterpart, ranitidine, were found to be contaminated with the impurity N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA), which has been linked to the development of cancer.

    Pending lawsuits against the manufacturers of Zantac allege that these companies were negligent in their duty to keep patients safe by putting a hazardous product on the market without disclosing its potential to harm patients.

    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced on April 1, 2020, that they were asking all manufacturers of ranitidine products, including Zantac, to take their products off the market. After the announcement, over a dozen manufacturers pulled their products off shelves and recalled the drug.

    At Finz & Finz, P.C., we represent Zantac victims in New York and throughout the United States who have been injured by the use of this defective drug. Our New York City product liability attorneys are helping clients collect financial compensation for damages, including medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and more.

    If you believe that Zantac caused your cancer, then don’t wait to contact one of our dedicated New York City defective drug attorneys. We’ll help you understand your legal rights and options.

    Recent Zantac Lawsuit Updates

    • June 2021: Judge Rosenberg set the Case Management Schedule and ordered the parties to finalize the process for selecting potential bellwether plaintiffs by October 1, 2021.
    • April 2021: Judge Rosenberg set a Supplemental Discovery Schedule for Defendants to produce documents requested by Plaintiffs.
    • November 2020: Judge Rosenberg set the Deposition Protocol for Defendants’ witnesses and third parties, including “soft caps” for GlaxoSmithKline, Boehringer Ingelheim, Pfizer, and Sanofi.

    Who Can File a Zantac Lawsuit?

    Zantac lawsuits are not part of a class-action lawsuit. These lawsuits are filed by individuals who have been injured by the use of Zantac against the drug manufacturer. However, some of these individual claims may join together in an MDL, or multidistrict litigation. The purpose of an MDL is to speed up the litigation and settlement process.

    If you took Zantac and later developed any of the following types of cancer, then you may have grounds to file a claim:

    • Prostate cancer
    • Pancreatic cancer
    • Esophageal cancer
    • Bladder cancer
    • Liver cancer
    • Intestinal cancer
    • Colon cancer
    • Colorectal cancer
    • Stomach cancer
    • Breast cancer
    • Kidney or renal cancer
    • Lung cancer (for non-smokers only)
    • Gastric cancer

    There is a statute of limitations on this type of claim, which means you only have limited time to file a lawsuit in order to recoup the financial losses you have suffered. That is why it’s crucial to speak to an attorney right away if you believe that Zantac may have caused you to develop cancer.

    Timeline of Regulatory Action and Scientific Studies on the Dangers of Zantac

    The dangers of Zantac have been known for years. In fact, NDMA has been classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer as a Group 2A carcinogen, meaning there is strong evidence that it can cause cancer in humans. As a result, Zantac has been recalled in more than 40 countries. The events leading up to and following its recall have been well documented.

    • 1989: The EPA reports that lab rats exposed to NDMA developed significantly increased incidents of lung, liver and kidney tumors.
    • June 2016: A study conducted by Stanford University study found that volunteers who took Zantac had unsafe levels of NDMA (a toxic cancer-causing carcinogen) in their urine.
    • September 2019: Zantac manufacturers begin voluntary recall due to apparent contamination of NDMA.
    • October 2019: The FDA tests a sample batch of Zantac and identifies “unacceptable” levels of NDMA.
    • November 2019: The FDA reports that all batch testing of Zantac resulted in high levels of NDMA.
    • December 2019: Congresswoman Rosa L. DeLauro wrote a letter to the FDA and Department of Health and Human Services asking for a nationwide ban of Zantac due to the risk of cancer.
    • April 2020: The FDA requests an immediate withdrawal and recall of Zantac from the market due to unsafe NDMA concerns.
    • January 2021: A study conducted by the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that Zantac may be a significant source of NDMA under gastric conditions inside the human stomach.

    Additional regulatory action may be forthcoming and further scientific studies are currently underway, the results of which are expected to be published soon. We will continue to update our clients as more information becomes available.

    Who Manufactures Zantac?

    Box of Zantac 150 ranitidine tabletOver ten pharmaceutical companies manufactured prescription Zantac, while more than double that produced an over-the-counter version of the drug. Most of these companies no longer produce Zantac and have recalled their products from the market.

    The brand name manufacturers named in the Zantac Multi-District Litigation (MDL) are:

    • GlaxoSmithKline
    • Boehringer Ingelheim
    • Pfizer
    • Sanofi

    What Conditions Is Zantac Designed to Treat?

    Although Zantac has largely been removed from the market, it was traditionally used to treat conditions such as:

    • Heartburn
    • Acid reflux
    • GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease)
    • Stomach ulcers
    • Peptic ulcer disease
    • Sour stomach
    • Zollinger-Ellison syndrome

    What Basis Do I Have for a Zantac Lawsuit?

    You can file a Zantac lawsuit on two separate grounds: defective design and failure to warn.

    Drug manufacturers can be held liable for defective design when it can be shown that there was an inherent defect in the design of the drug, which would therefore be present even when the product is manufactured and used correctly.

    In the case of Zantac products, the FDA noted that the levels of NDMA in Zantac medication may increase over time while the medicine is stored, particularly at higher temperatures. It has also been shown that the carcinogen NDMA is a natural byproduct of Zantac’s active ingredient, ranitidine hydrochloride. When a patient ingests Zantac, a chemical reaction in the stomach may generate even higher levels of NDMA.

    So, when filing a lawsuit, it could potentially be against any of the manufacturers of Zantac. There is evidence that Zantac is carcinogenic as a result of its design, and your lawyer may call upon scientific experts, including chemists, product engineers, and doctors, to present evidence of design defects in your case.

    You may also file a lawsuit against a drug manufacturer based on the premise of failure to warn. The manufacturers of Zantac never included the carcinogenic properties of the drug on their drug labels. If prescribers had known about the potential dangers of the drug, it can be reasonably assumed that they would not have prescribed it to their patients. If patients had known about the carcinogenic effects, they would likely not have elected to take the drug.

    How Do I Qualify for a Zantac Lawsuit?

    If you believe that your cancer was caused by Zantac use, then you will typically need to satisfy three separate conditions in order to qualify for a Zantac lawsuit. By consulting with an attorney, you can determine whether or not you have a case.

    First, you’ll need to be able to prove that you took Zantac. If you took prescription Zantac, you can use your medical records to provide evidence that you took the drug. If you took Zantac over-the-counter, then you could potentially provide the court with a receipt of your purchase or a print-out of your pharmacy loyalty card history as evidence.

    Second, you will need to show that you have been diagnosed with cancer, specifically a type of cancer caused by NDMA such as bladder, prostate, esophageal, gastric, colorectal, liver or pancreatic cancers.

    Lastly, you’ll need to show how there is a link between the use of Zantac and your diagnosis. For instance, if you consistently took high doses of the drug for a prolonged period of time, that can be helpful in showing a direct link between your use of the drug and your diagnosis.

    Compensation In Zantac Lawsuits

    If you’ve been diagnosed with cancer after using Zantac, then you could be entitled to compensation. Compensation is designed to cover costs such as:

    • Medical expenses
    • Lost income, if you are unable to work and earn a living
    • Pain and suffering
    • Loss of enjoyment of life
    • Loss of consortium or companionship
    • Punitive damages, if appropriate

    Families of those who have had loved ones pass away due to a cancer caused by Zantac may also seek compensation by filing a wrongful death claim.

    Contact One of Our Product Liability Attorneys Today

    If you have been diagnosed with cancer and believe that it was caused by your use of Zantac, then don’t wait to get in touch with one of our Zantac attorneys at Finz & Finz, P.C. in New York City today. We aggressively litigate Zantac cancer cases throughout the United States. We will review your claim, determine whether you have a case, and help you pursue the compensation you need to recover financially. Contact us for a consultation today.