Zantac Users Never Received Fair Warning Of Its Risks

If you suffer from acid reflux, ulcers or other problems with stomach acid, you may have found great relief while taking Zantac. Many others in North Carolina and elsewhere also found relief, and the makers of the drug made billions of dollars, selling it in both prescription and over-the-counter strengths.

However, some laboratories soon began informing the U.S. Food and Drug Administration that their continued testing of the drug was raising concerning data involving contamination by a known carcinogen, Nitrosodimethylamine, or NDMA. If you have been using Zantac, you may have concerns about these claims and the fact that the drug manufacturer continued to make and sell this dangerous drug without warning you of the dangers.

The dangers of NDMA

Since the 1970s, scientists have known that NDMA causes cancer. NDMA is a byproduct of a chemical reaction occurring during the processing of many pharmaceuticals. It is also common in other places, including your drinking water and certain foods. After some research, the FDA concluded that you could safely consume no more than 96 nanograms of NDMA per day without harm.

However, one lab found that ranitidine hydrochloride, under the brand name Zantac, had more than two million nanograms in its OTC form, and this level increases when the drug is stored even at room temperature. High doses of NDMA may cause:

• Lung cancer
• Breast cancer
• Cervical cancer
• Thyroid cancer
• Prostate cancer
• Testicular cancer
• Colorectal cancers
• Bladder cancer
• Ovarian and uterine cancers

As a conscientious consumer, you likely read the labels for your medications and did not find any warning about the dangers of NDMA in ranitidine. Even after FDA warnings and the recall of the drug by several pharmaceutical companies, the makers of Zantac apparently continued to manufacture and sell the product without warning patients of its inherent dangers.

Holding drug companies accountable

A drug manufacturer making billions of dollars for a single drug may hesitate to make the difficult decision to discontinue the product or risk losing customers by warning them of the dangers. However, placing profits above the lives of consumers is unconscionable.

This is why many victims of cancer linked to the use of Zantac have filed individual personal injury claims or joined in class action lawsuits to seek compensation for their medical expenses, pain and suffering, and other damages. If successful, they may improve their chances of a more positive future and send a strong message to drug companies that ignore the suffering of others in the name of greed.