What Are the Long Term Side Effects of Zantac?

Notice: At this time we are no longer accepting cases related to Zantac cancer claims. However, if you have questions about other mass tort or personal injury cases that we are currently accepting, please call or fill out our case evaluation form.

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Zantac and other formulations of the heartburn drug ranitidine may put users at risk of developing cancer. This is, perhaps, the most well-known side effect of taking Zantac. In addition, according to MedlinePlus, other possible short- or long-term side effects of Zantac include:

• Headaches
• Constipation or diarrhea
• Nausea and vomiting
• Stomach pain

You could be eligible to bring a lawsuit if you developed cancer or another serious side effect after taking Zantac or another ranitidine medication.

NDMA in Zantac May Be a Severe Threat to Your Health

N-Nitrosodimethylamine is an organic chemical compound abbreviated as NDMA. Valisure – an independent laboratory that tests pharmaceuticals for quality control purposes – connected it to Zantac because of the medication’s active ingredient, ranitidine. In 2019, the Washington Post and other news outlets reported that the levels of NDMA caused by the breakdown of ranitidine in the body are much higher than the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) allows.

Since then, consumers who developed cancer after taking Zantac or another form of ranitidine have initiated multidistrict litigation (MDL). According to MDL 2924, several types of cancers are possibly linked to the medication. The cancers allegedly caused by taking Zantac or ranitidine include:

• Liver cancer
• Kidney cancer
• Stomach cancer
• Intestinal cancer
• Esophageal cancer
• Pancreatic cancer
• Bladder cancer

These cancers may prove fatal if not caught early. If this occurs, the pharmaceutical manufacturer and other parties may be legally liable for the death of your loved one. 

Even if you or your loved one are undergoing treatment or successfully beat a cancer diagnosis, you may have a case. You likely endured physical, financial, and emotional harm as a result of the diagnosis, and you have a right to seek compensation for these expenses and losses.

Consumers Used Zantac Without Any Idea About the Cancer Risk

According to Reuters, since its approval by the FDA in 1983, millions of consumers have taken prescription or over-the-counter versions of Zantac or generic ranitidine to treat and prevent: 

• Heartburn
• Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) 
• Stomach ulcers

While the FDA and various manufacturers of Zantac and ranitidine acknowledged possible side effects, the potential of developing cancer was not among the product warnings. Consumers were not made aware that the ranitidine in Zantac and other medications could be inherently unstable – this means that it could convert into the “probable carcinogen” NDMA once entering your body.

The links between Zantac, ranitidine, and increased risks of cancer and other long-term side effects are strong enough that:

• The FDA has requested that all drug manufacturers remove ranitidine products, including Zantac, from the market.
• Drugmakers like Sanofi temporarily removed products containing ranitidine, including Zantac, from drug markets.
• Consumers who believe that their cancer may have been caused by taking Zantac, generic ranitidine, or another drug containing ranitidine are pursuing compensation through individual lawsuits, consolidated into MDL 2924.

The established findings indicate that ranitidine may cause unsafe levels of NDMA in your system. This risk of cancer could also be enough for you to join a class-action lawsuit without a cancer diagnosis if one occurs in the future.

You May Be Able to Bring a Ranitidine Lawsuit and Join the MDL Already Underway

You could file a lawsuit and join MDL 2924 if you developed cancer after taking a drug containing ranitidine. An MDL allows the court to handle discovery and pretrial motions in the case in one courtroom. Then, the judge hears several bellwether cases. This leads to a global settlement, individual settlements, or the cases return to their original jurisdictions for trial. 

Your recoverable damages may include:

• Medical expenses, such as the costs of chemotherapy or radiation treatment, hospitalization, palliative care, and prescription medications
• Lost wages, if the treatment and side effects you experienced required you to take time off work
• Lost earning capacity, if your illness required you to work fewer hours, take a lesser paying job, or retire from the workforce completely
• Pain and suffering
• Mental anguish

Your attorney can help you weigh your options for seeking compensation and decide if a lawsuit is the best choice based on the facts of your case. You may be eligible to hold the drug manufacturer responsible for their dangerous medication and recover compensation to pay for your care.

What a Zantac Attorney Could Do for Your Case

A defective drug attorney from our firm can help you understand how MDLs work and weigh your options for taking legal action. If our firm handles your case, we will:  

• Listen to your account of taking ranitidine and later developing cancer
• Seek documentation for your ranitidine use as well as your subsequent cancer diagnosis and treatment
• File your lawsuit and/or help you join MDL 2924
• Calculate the compensation for a fair settlement in your case
• Seek a payout on your behalf
• Manage all aspects of your legal case
• Protect your right to compensation 

Our personal injury law firm handles claims on a contingency-fee basis, which means you pay nothing upfront for our services. In fact, you pay no attorney’s fees unless and until you recover compensation for your injuries related to Zantac use.

Call Our Team at Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers Today for a Free Consultation

We work hard to advocate for our fellow Louisianans who suffered negligence injuries. This includes holding drug manufacturers whose dangerous products cause severe side effects accountable. Our Zantac lawsuit lawyer could represent you if you or a loved one developed cancer or suffered another serious side effect of Zantac. 

Call the Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers team today at (337) 777-7777 for a free consultation.