On April 1, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a press release requesting the immediate removal of all ranitidine products from the market, including popular heartburn medication Zantac. The generic drug, ranitidine, known under the brand name Zantac, is categorized as a histamine-2 blocker. Zantac reduces the amount of acid in the stomach and also is used to trace and prevent ulcers. The FDC approved Zantac initially for treating ulcers in 1983, and gave over the counter approval in 2004.
Zantac products were one of the most popular heartburn and antacid medications. ZANTAC 75® Regular Strength and ZANTAC 150® Maximum Strength tables were recommended for adults and children. In fact, even infants with acid-reflux were often prescribed ranitidine syrups. Zantac was available for sale at pharmacies, grocery stores, convenience stores, airports, and membership warehouse clubs. Zantac was prescribed to millions of patients every year for over 30 years.
In early 2019, a third-party laboratory reported dangerous findings about Zantac to the FDA. Their testing demonstrated high levels of N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) in the product, well above the approved, acceptable limits set by the government agency. NDMA is classified as a B2 carcinogen, a substance that can cause cancer in humans. By fall, Zantac and other ranitidine products were being removed from store shelves by pharmacy chains such as CVS, Walgreens and Rite-Aid, and other retail stores both in the U.S. and Canada. Zantac was then recalled by its manufacturer, the pharmaceutical giant, Sanofi SA.
In April 2020, the FDA confirmed that the potential cancer-causing contaminant NDMA could build up in ranitidine products over time. The FDA warned: “the impurity in some ranitidine products in creases over time and when stored at higher than room temperatures and may result in consumer exposure to unacceptable levels of this impurity.”
Our firm is experienced in litigation involving dangerous drugs and we are currently building a case against Zantac. If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with cancer after using Zantac or another ranitidine product, you may have a case.
Some of the cancers that have been associated with Zantac use include:
- Bladder cancer
- Brain cancer
- Breast cancer
- Colon or rectal cancer
- Esophageal cancer
- Intestinal cancer
- Kidney cancer
- Liver cancer
- Pancreatic cancer
- Prostate cancer
- Stomach cancer
- Testicular cancer
Reach out to McNabola & Associates, LLC if you have developed any of the above cancers to speak with one of our experienced Chicago product liability lawyers. We may be able to help. Our Zantac litigators represent clients throughout Illinois.
Call us at (312) 888-8700 or contact us online to schedule your free case evaluation with one of our Chicago Zantac litigation lawyers today.
