Following the U.S. Food & Drug Administration’s (FDA) recall of all ranitidine products, you may need to know if your heartburn drug is safe. As with any medication, you should speak to your doctor about which drugs are safe for you to use, but the FDA says the following medications do not contain NDMA:
- Famotidine (brand name Pepcid)
- Cimetidine (brand name Tagamet)
- Esomeprazole (brand name Nexium)
- Lansoprazole (brand name Prevacid)
- Omeprazole (brand name Prilosec)
Should you experience any unusual symptoms such as abdominal pain, blood in stools or vomit, reduced appetite or unexplained weight loss, you should visit with your doctor to be on the safe side and have peace of mind.
Ranitidine, sold under the brand-name Zantac, has been recalled with immediate effect after testing found high levels of a compound called N- nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA), which is a carcinogen that could cause cancer in daily users of the medicines.
Current advice from the FDA is to discontinue using any over-the-counter (OTC) product containing ranitidine. If you are prescribed treatment for stomach or intestinal ulcers, acid reflux, or heartburn, it is necessary to check with your health care professional or doctor about alternative treatments that do not contain the harmful substance. Furthermore, they also advise disposing of the drug safely, following FDA drug disposal guidelines.
Ranitidine is a compound in common antacid treatment such as Zantac, which becomes unstable when it is exposed to elevated room temperatures. It can also react when the drug is stored for a period of time, whether this is in a warehouse or your bathroom cupboard.
When reacting, ranitidine produces high levels of a toxic carcinogen called NDMA. At high levels, it is extremely toxic to the liver and has caused cancer in animals, according to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). The fact that NDMA causes cancer in animals is a good indicator that it could be a human carcinogen as well.
The legal community is addressing concerns from consumers, some of which have been diagnosed with cancer. Claims are emerging about large pharmaceutical companies continuing to produce and sell the medication while knowing the risks involved with ranitidine, yet still failing to properly warn the public about the potential harm it can do.
Lawsuits Against Zantac Manufacturer
Although no money can make up for the harm caused by cancer, you have the right to be warned about any risks involved with taking medication. When pharmaceutical companies place profit ahead of customers’ lives, they should be held accountable for their actions.
To qualify for a ranitidine cancer lawsuit, you will need to:
- Prove that you took Zantac or another form of ranitidine medicine (by providing pharmacy records if it was prescribed to you, or receipts and other corroborating evidence if you purchased OTC versions).
- Show that you have sustained an injury. This could be if you have been diagnosed with one of the primary injuries associated with exposure to NDMA, which include liver and lung cancer. Your medical records will prove this.
- The final part is linking proof that using Zantac or other variants of it caused cancer. This is the most challenging part to prove and is where a law firm can help you.
If you took Zantac and developed cancer, you may be in a position to file a lawsuit against the pharmaceutical company that produced the medicine.
Protection at Your Side From Attorneys
The team at Pintas & Mullins Law Firm can represent the best interests of their clients who have developed cancer after taking Zantac and other ranitidine-based medicines.
If you have been diagnosed with cancer, or have tragically lost a loved one and believe the cause to be from using drugs containing ranitidine, we are committed to helping you recover damages you are entitled to from negligent drug manufactures and to help you obtain fair compensation in lieu of:
- Current and ongoing medical bills
- Rehabilitation costs
- Lost wages
- Reduced future earning capacity
- Pain, suffering, and inconvenience
- Funeral and burial costs in the event of wrongful death
We work on a contingency fee basis, meaning you have no upfront costs, and we will only recover payment for cases we win. Let us help you with your case against the manufacturer of the ranitidine drug you took. Contact us for a free case evaluation and see if you qualify to pursue compensation at (800) 635-1144.