In September of 2019, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that potentially harmful levels of a cancer-causing agent had been found in products containing ranitidine. These products included heartburn medication Zantac. The long-term use of Zantac had been primarily linked with colorectal cancer, but now a connection has been established between Zantac and breast cancer.
Zantac and Breast Cancer
Several lawsuits have recently been filed, alleging that the use of Zantac led to the development of breast cancer. These lawsuits are based on a study from 2008 by the American Association for Cancer Research and the American Society of Preventive Oncology. The study found that individuals who regularly took Zantac increased their risk of developing breast cancer by 240%.
The lawsuits allege that the makers of Zantac were aware of this study and yet failed to warn consumers and continued to market their product as safe. As a result of this failure to warn the public, people continued to use Zantac and may have developed cancer as a result. The manufacturers of Zantac should be held accountable for their actions, and individuals who have developed cancer as a result of using Zantac should be compensated for their losses.
Zantac Recall
In April of 2020, the FDA finally issued a recall of all over the counter and prescription products containing ranitidine. This included Zantac heartburn medication and generic versions of the product. Four months earlier, the agency had pulled prescription versions off the market. The FDA noted that testing indicated the presence of NDMA in Zantac and stated that it appeared that the amount of NDMA increased over time, even when the product was stored normally. The older the Zantac product was, the more likely it was to contain high levels of NDMA. Patients who took Zantac were advised to stop taking the product right away and to dispose of it properly.
Contact a Dangerous Drug Attorney
If you developed cancer after long term use of Zantac or its generic forms, you should have an experienced product liability attorney evaluate your case. Gregg Goldfarb has been helping the victims of dangerous products for over 20 years. Contact us online or call us at 305-374-7000 to schedule a free consultation.