Following a wave of consumer lawsuits against the makers of popular heartburn medication Zantac, a California state court judge has scheduled the first Zantac trial. The first Zantac “bellwether” trial is set to take place on October 10, 2022, in Oakland, California.
First Zantac Bellwether Trial
This is the first “bellwether” trial for what many legal experts believe will be a wave of subsequent litigations against the drug manufacturer. Thousands of Zantac lawsuits have already been filed in Florida, Illinois, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and Washington.
These lawsuits follow a recall of Zantac ordered by the FDA after studies revealed the presence of probable human carcinogen N-Nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) in the drug. NDMA is a known carcinogen, and is actually used to cause cancer in lab animals.
The first Zantac trials will be especially significant, because "bellwether" trials are often used to gauge the strength of evidence in a particular lawsuit. Legal observers will be looking at the outcome of the first Zantac trial and other early court battles to help predict whether potential Zantac settlements may be likely, and how significant they may be.
Lawsuits Claim Zantac Manufacturers Knew of Zantac Cancer Risk
In 1991, the American Association for Cancer Research conducted a study where they exposed some rats to NDMA and found that the rats exposed to the compound were significantly more likely to develop liver cancer than those who were not. More recently, Valisure and MedRxiv published studies that not only confirmed high levels of NDMA in ranitidine products, including Zantac but also found “an association between ranitidine use and cancers of the breast, thyroid, bladder, and prostate.” The lawsuits brought against Zantac allege that the manufacturers knew about the potential for NDMA contamination in their products and the health risks associated with it but still allowed the product into the market without proper safety disclosure.Health Risks Associated with NDMA-contaminated Drugs
NDMA is classified as a “probable human carcinogen” by the FDA. This classification means that it is a substance that could potentially cause cancer in humans. Exposure to high levels of NDMA over time may lead to a variety of cancers, including:- Bladder cancer
- Colorectal cancer
- Kidney cancer
- Stomach cancer
- Intestinal cancer
- Liver cancer
- Lung cancer
- Thyroid cancer
- Brain cancer
- Throat/nasal cancer
- Ovarian cancer
- Testicular cancer
- Uterine cancer
- Breast cancer
- Esophageal cancer
- Pancreatic cancer
- Prostate cancer
- Leukemia, non-Hodgkins lymphoma, and Multiple Myeloma
“So, What’s Next for Zantac Lawsuits?”
FEBRUARY 2023 UPDATE: Due to recent developments in the litigation, our firm is no longer accepting Zantac claims. Please stay tuned to our website for the latest information and updates. The first Zantac trial outcome will likely set a precedent for any subsequent lawsuits against the drug manufacturer. Legal experts and plaintiffs alike are observing these proceedings to determine whether Zantac manufacturers are likely to be held responsible for the damage potentially caused by NDMA in Zantac.“I Took Zantac and Developed Cancer. What Can I Do?”
If you have taken brand-name Zantac and later developed cancer, you may qualify for a Zantac lawsuit. FEBRUARY 2023 UPDATE: Due to recent developments in the litigation, our firm is no longer accepting Zantac claims. Please stay tuned to our website for the latest information and updates. You may qualify for a Zantac lawsuit if you meet the following criteria:- Used brand-name Zantac only
- Suffered from at least one of the following cancers:
- Bladder cancer
- Liver cancer
- Stomach cancer
- Esophageal cancer
- Pancreatic cancer
- Must have used brand-name Zantac after October 1984
- Must have used brand-name Zantac for a minimum of one year
- Must have used brand-name Zantac once per week for a minimum of six months
- Must have been diagnosed with a qualifying cancer within 20 years of last dose
- Must not have been a smoker in the past 20 years if diagnosed with lung cancer
- Must be 64 years of age or younger at the time of diagnosis if diagnosed with prostate cancer