FDA Studies and Recalls Regarding Zantac | The Sentinel Group

You or a member of your family may have purchased over-the-counter Zantac or been prescribed Zantac for painful and persistent acid reflux, ulcers, or heartburn. If you took this medication and were subsequently diagnosed with specific types of cancer, you could be entitled to financial compensation from the drug manufacturer. In addition to the listed ailments, you may have used it to treat other medical conditions.

Our network of mass tort lawsuit attorneys is preparing lawsuits to help consumers and patients who took this dangerous drug get the monetary award they deserve. When you and other injured patients pursue financial compensation, we help you document your Zantac-related health care concerns, understand the drug’s harmful ingredient, and assign a financial value to your injuries. These can include medical care, lost wages, pain and suffering, and wrongful death damages, where applicable.

Why are Zantac lawsuits being filed?

When you take a recommended or prescribed medication, you have the right to be made aware of all possible side effects it may cause. Doctors who prescribed Zantac and consumers who used the over-the-counter version were not made aware of its dangers. When taken in high enough doses, Zantac has been found to contain NDMA in higher levels that might pose a risk of cancer in its consumers.

According to MedlinePlus research, ranitidine—a main component of Zantac—has been identified as a possible human carcinogen (known to cause cancer). Food and Drug Administration (FDA) officials issued a recall for Zantac in its prescription and over-the-counter formulations. FDA recommendations include:

  • Consumers are advised to stop taking the medication, properly dispose of any remaining doses, and identify alternative treatment options.
  • Patients who were prescribed the drug are advised to talk to their health care provider for assistance making alternative treatment options.

Both parties are advised to safely dispose of any remaining medications at home rather than returning them to a drug take back location. If the drug injured you or someone you love, our attorney network could help you identify ways to seek compensation from the drug manufacturer. 

Status of Zantac lawsuits

With legal help and support, consumers and patients have started to hold the manufacturer of Zantac responsible for its cancer-causing ingredient, ranitidine. These individuals and their families are preparing and filing lawsuits seeking monetary compensation for economic and non-economic damages. 

Lawyers are still collecting evidence, identifying potential plaintiffs, and gathering evidence to support their clients’ requests for financial compensation. Lawyers are also preparing and organizing evidence that proves Zantac’s manufacturer was aware of the potential danger of exposure to ranitidine and did not notify prescribers, sellers, or patients. 

Many individual Zantac lawsuits are being combined into class action and mass tort cases where multiple plaintiffs with similar legal issues are seeking compensation from a shared defendant. 

  • There have been 828 Zantac lawsuits filed in federal courts, according to United States Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation records.
  • Many Zantac lawsuits are still in the preparation phase and are expected to go to trial by the end of 2022.
  • A federal judge recently dismissed cases filed against the makers of Zantac’s generic equivalent.

We are committed to seeking compensation for anyone whose health was negatively impacted by the use of brand name Zantac products. Our network of attorneys helps patients seek compensation for their medical bills linked to cancer after using Zantac. Your compensation can also include additional expenses for lost income, pain and suffering, and more.

Zantac class actions

A class action lawsuit is one in which all injured parties (known as plaintiffs) request recoverable damages from the same responsible party (known as the defendant). In a class action case, each plaintiff shares equally in any resulting monetary recovery. In Zantac cases, the shared complaint points to the potential of its heartburn medication to cause cancer when stored at higher than room temperatures.

According to an MDPIA study, prolonged use of Zantac may contribute to the following types of cancer:

  • Liver
  • Gallbladder
  • Stomach
  • Colorectal
  • Esophagus
  • Pancreatic
  • Small intestine

If you or someone you love received a cancer diagnosis after taking any form of Zantac, our Zantac lawsuit attorneys could help you explore your compensation options. We will also help you understand the Zantac class action lawsuit options available in your area. Our lawyers will handle the details of the case, including collecting evidence that supports your right to compensation. 

Has there been a Zantac settlement?

As of today’s date, there have not been any Zantac lawsuit settlements, though many cases are pending. Cases involving Zantac are still in their early phases, and our attorneys are gathering evidence of the harm its users endured (and continue to endure). When settlements are negotiated recoverable damages for injured parties can include:

  • Current and future medical bills
  • Current and future income loss
  • Loss of future earning capacity
  • Physical pain and suffering
  • Mental and emotional distress

In addition, we help you recover the funeral and burial expenses of a loved one who succumbed to an illness or disease that can be attributed to their use of ranitidine drugs (which includes Zantac). Where possible, we will also request compensation for punitive damages typically awarded in cases where the at-fault party’s actions were deemed intentional or egregious.

When drug manufacturers fail to provide health care professionals and consumers with a transparent knowledge of the drug’s risks and dangers, consumers are entitled to pursue financial damages. This is what is happening all over the country — consumers are working with our attorney network to hold manufacturers accountable for their actions.

How liability law applies to the Zantac cases

Zantac lawsuits assert that the prescription ranitidine drug could be contaminated with N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA). According to Healthline research, NDMA is a known human carcinogen. After the FDA performed extensive drug evaluation and research, it recalled products with NDMA contamination because their risk of harm increases over time.

Liability laws apply to Zantac cases because their manufacturer is responsible for providing reasonable care for the product’s users. They are liable for your resulting financial damages when they fail to do so by not informing you of potential hazards.

In a statement published in 2019, Janet Woodcock, director of FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, acknowledged the danger of NMDAs in Zantac. Product manufacturers — including drug makers — must ensure their products function as described and provide their touted benefits. 

Product manufacturers have an equal responsibility to inform consumers of any risks or dangers inherent to the use of their products. Our network of attorneys is gathering proof that the manufacturer of Zantac knew their product contained NMDA in the form of ranitidine. Having access to this knowledge and failing to warn prescribers and patients of it constitutes negligence and financial liability on the manufacturer’s part. 

How do I know if I have a Zantac cancer claim?

In September 2019, FDA officials began alerting health care professionals and the patients they serve that the recall process had begun for prescription and OTC Zantac. Our attorney network helps people who took this product to treat heartburn and other troubling conditions prepare a case against the manufacturer. 

We will help you compile your prescription receipts, retail receipts, and other evidence of your purchase of Zantac. Our team will also compile medical records and other evidence of medical harm for each client we represent. The evidence we collect will prove your right to compensation by establishing:

  • Your use of Zantac
  • Your subsequent cancer diagnosis
  • A correlation between the two 

While you undergo, cope with, or recover from cancer treatments, our Zantac lawsuit attorneys work hard to prepare your case for the upcoming settlement or trial process. We carefully review your evidence and inform you of your right to compensation. Our lawyers will also handle the settlement negotiation process and trial procedures, depending on how your case resolves. 

We will also explain the multi-plaintiff cases we are building and your role in it, and take care of all case-related communication and information requests. Our team will also provide regular and timely updates on the progress of your case.

Confirm that you took Zantac

Ranitidine medications like Zantac have led to adverse health conditions and cancer development in patients like you. If you took this medication and were later diagnosed, our attorneys could help you fight for compensation. 

The first step to finding out if you have a case against the makers of Zantac is to contact one of our team members and see if you qualify for a free legal consultation. Our team will help prove you took Zantac by obtaining your:

  • Written diagnosis
  • Medical records
  • Medical bills
  • Prescription records
  • Prescription receipts
  • Retail receipts
  • Other records and evidence that help prove you took the drug, when you took it, and for what period

You must have taken the name brand Zantac, not a generic form since recent court procedures dismissed claims against generic manufacturers. Brand name manufacturers of Zantac include:

  • Novartis/Sandoz
  • Apotex
  • Pfizer
  • GlaxoSmithKline
  • Sanofi
  • Boehringer 
  • Others

The records we collect on your behalf will prove:

  • Which version or versions of Zantac you took
  • Which manufacturer made the Zantac you took
  • Whether you took the drug in pill or liquid form

We handle the evidence collection part of your case for you to focus on your current and future health.

Confirm that you regularly used Zantac for a significant amount of time

Part of the FDA, the Center For Drug Evaluation (CDER), works vigilantly to ensure everyday consumers receive safe and effective drugs. They oversee and regulate OTC and prescription drugs, among other substances. 

At first thought safe and effective, the prescription and OTC versions of Zantac were typically prescribed or recommended to treat:

  • Stomach ulcers
  • Intestinal ulcers
  • Pain and discomfort
  • Heartburn
  • Acid reflux
  • Painful indigestion

If you or someone you love took Zantac to treat or prevent ulcer pain or other medical conditions, your use might have been short- or long-term. Our attorney network will obtain copies of the following evidence to prove you took Zantac for a significant amount of time:

  • Health care records
  • Doctor’s notes
  • Laboratory test results
  • Pharmacy records
  • Pharmacy receipts
  • Retail receipts
  • Pill bottles
  • Medication packaging

Our team may also take statements and testimonials from you and any family members or in-home assistants who provided you with ongoing care. We obtain these records on your behalf, whenever possible, to ensure your evidence file points to your use of Zantac for an extended time.

Confirm related diagnoses

You could be eligible to join other injured parties in a class action or mass torts lawsuit. You or someone you love will have to have received a diagnosis of cancer from unacceptable levels of NDMA affecting any of the following areas, among others:

  • Liver
  • Gallbladder
  • Stomach
  • Colorectal
  • Esophagus
  • Pancreas
  • Small intestine

Your medical records, testimony from the physician treating your cancer, and your future prognosis are all forms of evidence that will help us. Our team must prove your cancer diagnosis is related to your use of Zantac. In addition to cancer, other illnesses that might be related to Zantac and, therefore, entitle you to compensation include:

In addition to the medical evidence and documents listed above, our team members may also request confirmation of your diagnosis, proof of the extent of your Zantac usage, and records that document your medical history. We will also ask questions about any other adverse reactions to Zantac you may be experiencing. 

Contact an attorney to discuss your options

Were you or someone you love diagnosed with cancer after taking prescription or OTC ranitidine medication branded as Zantac? Our network of attorneys at The Sentinel Group can help you seek financial compensation for your medical bills and related expenses. 

Fill out our contact form today for help with your case.