Hiring an attorney to represent you after suffering harm because of Zantac or another pharmaceutical equivalent will cost you nothing. Some attorneys provide representation on a contingency-fee basis, which means that:
- You pay no money upfront or out of pocket
- You only pay a fee if and when the attorney secures compensation for you
- It ultimately costs you nothing for the lawyer’s services
If you want to hire a Zantac attorney because you believe that you or a loved one developed cancer because of a medication containing the ingredient ranitidine, then it is your right to do so—and it may not cost you anything at all.
Why You May Bring a Zantac Lawsuit
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced on April 1, 2020, that all manufacturers should cease the sale of medications containing ranitidine, which is the generic form of Zantac and some other brand-name antacids. The decision was based on:
- Findings made in late 2019 that ranitidine could break down in the human body into N-Nitrosodimethylamine, a chemical compound also known as NDMA
- The fact that NDMA is categorized as a probable carcinogen by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and is a byproduct of the production of rocket fuel and wastewater treatment
- Allegations in multidistrict litigation (MDL) 2924 that NDMA is primarily used to intentionally produce tumors in mice in order to study treatment methods for those tumors
- Links between unsafe levels of NDMA in humans and the development of liver cancer, esophageal cancer, intestinal cancer, stomach cancer, pancreatic cancer, kidney cancer, and bladder cancer, according to MDL 2924
Essentially, various findings suggest that ingesting generic ranitidine, Zantac, or other medications containing ranitidine may increase your risk of developing potentially fatal cancers. For this reason, individuals who have consumed Zantac and other ranitidine-containing medications are bringing lawsuits against liable parties.
Drug Manufacturers and Regulators May Have Failed You
The finding that ranitidine in Zantac may break down in your body to become the probable carcinogen NDMA is difficult to explain when considering the duration that Zantac has been on the market.
Zantac gained FDA approval in 1983, according to Reuters, and went on to become the best-selling medication in the world at one point during the late eighties. Zantac continued to be sold by numerous pharmaceutical manufacturers over the years, including:
- Johnson & Johnson
- GlaxoSmithKline PLC (formerly known as Glaxo Holdings Ltd)
- Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals
- Sanofi SA
Manufacturers ran advertisements for their various forms of ranitidine, and doctors prescribed drugs containing ranitidine in order to treat:
- Heartburn
- Stomach ulcers
- Intestinal ulcers, according to Harvard Health Publishing
While the popularity of over-the-counter and prescription forms of ranitidine such as Zantac suggests that it may have been effective in treating or preventing these conditions, it now appears that the risk of taking these medications may have been even greater than the conditions they were intended to treat.
Multiple Parties May Be Responsible for Your Cancer
If you or a loved one developed one of the previously listed cancers after taking a medication containing ranitidine, then you may have grounds for a lawsuit against multiple parties.
Zantac’s persistence on the consumer market despite the now-known cancer risks that it poses suggest possible wrongdoing on the part of:
- Manufacturers of Zantac and its equivalent forms, such as Johnson & Johnson, GlaxoSmithKline PLC, and others
- Regulatory bodies who deemed Zantac to be safe, including the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
- Medical professionals who failed to warn their patients about known or unknown risks of taking Zantac and other medications containing ranitidine
According to the journal Pharmacy & Therapeutics, drug manufacturers may be found legally liable for not ensuring that the drugs they sell are as safe as they purport them to be, or as safe as they can possibly be. The finding that ranitidine may convert to NDMA in the body suggests an inherent instability to Zantac that should have been caught sooner.
Bringing a Lawsuit Against Liable Parties
If you or your loved one developed cancer after taking Zantac, then you may be able to:
- Join a class action lawsuit
- Join multidistrict litigation
- Bring an individual lawsuit
A lawyer may assist you in determining which parties to name as defendants in your lawsuit, and may also:
- Handle every legal duty necessary to start and complete your lawsuit
- Collect evidence of likely or certain negligence perpetrated against you
- Calculate the compensation that you are entitled to
- Represent you in all legal proceedings
- Defend your rights
If your lawsuit is successful, you may collect compensation for:
- Lost income
- Medical costs
- Pain and suffering
- A wrongful death
Call Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers Today
It costs you nothing to hire a Zantac attorney, and our team at Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers wants to hear how you may have been harmed after taking Zantac or another medication that contains ranitidine. Call our team at Laborde Earles injury lawyers today at (337) 777-7777 for a free consultation.