Attorneys from six law firms have been appointed in a leadership position by a California judge to overlook the consolidated proceedings of Zantac lawsuits that claim the drug developed cancer to the plaintiffs.
The complaints allege that ranitidine, an active ingredient present in Zantac produces high levels of the known human carcinogen Nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA). The lawsuits even allege that the manufacturers were aware of the drug's side effects still, they continued to sell it in the market exposing the users to a higher risk of cancer.
Most of the cases are consolidated for pretrial proceedings in the Southern District of Florida whereas many additional cases have been brought in California state courts which are overlooked by Judge Winifred Smith who will preside over a Judicial Council Coordination Proceeding (JCCP) in Alameda County. Currently, the court handles 62 complaints representing 1,078 plaintiffs.
An order issued by Judge Smith on June 15 confirmed a leadership structure for the state court litigation. The attorneys appointed in the leadership roles will manage many responsibilities like reviewing discovery documents, taking depositions of common witnesses, arguing motions and other actions.
Currently, more than 70,000 potential product liability lawsuits are faced by Sanofi, GlaxoSmithKline, Boehringer Ingelheim, and other drug manufacturers, distributors, and retailers of Zantac throughout the U.S. The lawsuits claim that the active ingredient in Zantac when passed through the body or stored at higher temperatures converts high levels of the potent human carcinogen. Zantac recall lawyers are still reviewing the claims against the manufacturers and the number of claims is expected to grow as time passes.
Zantac (ranitidine hydrochloride) is an antacid and an H2 (histamine-2) receptor blocker used for treating and preventing ulcers in the duodenum, stomach, and intestines. It is also used for treating erosive esophagitis, heartburn, gastroesophageal reflux disease-GERD, Zollinger-Ellison syndrome. In 1983, Glaxo Holdings Ltd, a company that is a part of GlaxoSmithKline PLC, received approval from the FDA to sell Zantac in the U.S. However, owing to patent expiry in 1987 in the United States, Glaxo had to face stiff competition by the generic alternatives launched immediately by competitors. Since 2017, the OTC version of Zantac was marketed by Sanofi in the United States and Canada. In 2004, Pfizer gained FDA approval to sell the Zantac OTC in the United States.
Zantac, available with a prescription and over-the-counter, works by reducing the amount of acid made by the stomach.
In September 2019, public concerns about the Zantac cancer risk emerged when an independent online pharmacy Valisure discovered that each pill may expose users to NDMA levels higher than the permissible daily intake limits set by the FDA. The pharmacy found that some 150 mg pills contained more than 3,000,000 nanograms (ng) of NDMA, while the daily limit deemed safe by the FDA is only 96 ng.
On April 28, 2021, Sanofi, another Zantac manufacturer announced that it is planning to release two new versions of Zantac including a 10 mg famotidine “Original Strength” version, and a 20 mg “Maximum Strength” version.
