About
Learn about Zantac
About ZANTAC®
Zantac® and its generic versions, ranitidine, are very popular heartburn/antacid medications that have been on the market since the early 1980s. They belong to a group of drugs called histamine-2 blockers. Zantac® (ranitidine) works by reducing the amount of acid your stomach produces. It is mainly used to treat acid reflux and other conditions in which the stomach produces too much acid such as Zollinger-Ellison syndrome, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and other gastrointestinal issues. Zantac® and other generic versions of ranitidine are available over the counter (Zantac® OTC) and by prescription. Dosages vary between 75 and 150 mg tablets, though some patients take a once daily 300 mg dosage. Zantac® and its generic versions, ranitidine are some of the most widely used medications of all time.
In September 2019, Valisure, an online pharmacy based in Connecticut, informed the U.S. Food and Drug Administration that it had found the cancer-causing chemical N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) in some batches of Zantac® (ranitidine). Shortly after the FDA announcement, retailers including Walmart, Walgreens, CVS and Rite Aid pulled prescription and over-the-counter formulas of Zantac® from their shelves.
More about NDMA (N-NITROSOSDIMETHYLAMINE)
NDMA (N-NITROSOSDIMETHYLAMINE) is an industrial chemical used in gasoline, rocket fuel and other petroleum-based industrial products and is a known human carcinogen. NDMA levels in Zantac® may be 3,000 to 26,000 times higher than legally allowed levels set by the FDA.
Since the 1980s, numerous studies have demonstrated a link between the NDMA in Zantac® and cancer. Mounting evidence also allegedly shows that Sanofi and Boehringer Ingelheim, the big pharma companies that make Zantac® (ranitidine hydrochloride), concealed the Zantac® cancer link from millions of people who took the drug for heartburn, gastric and duodenal ulcers, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), sour stomach, Barrett’s esophagus, acid reflux and other issues. This deception came as the companies made unprecedented profits from Zantac®, the first drug to generate $1 billion in sales.
SIGNS & SYMPTOMS
The FDA has warned that Zantac® may be contaminated with cancer-causing agent NDMA (N-nitrosodimethylamine) normally used in petroleum-based industrial products. Potential carcinogenic effects of NDMA exposure include, but are not limited to:
- Liver Cancer
- Kidney Cancer
- Stomach Cancer
- Colon Cancer
- Colorectal Cancer
- Prostate Cancer
- Esophageal Cancer
- Pancreatic Cancer
- Uterine Cancer
- Bladder Cancer
- Other Digestive Tract Cancers
Over the last 40 years, several studies have made the case that Zantac® causes cancer. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), “NDMA is clearly carcinogenic. There is overwhelming evidence that NDMA is mutagenic and clastogenic.”
TAKE ACTION
In response to the September 2019 FDA announcement, retailers like CVS and Walgreens pulled Zantac® and over-the-counter generics from their shelves, citing the link between Zantac® NDMA and cancer. In October 2019, Sanofi announced a Zantac® recall of its own in the United States and Canada, and the U.K. unit of Teva Pharmaceuticals, the largest generic drug maker in the world, recalled batches of ranitidine.
With countless people now stricken with cancer after taking Zantac®, many are turning to the courts and filing a Zantac® lawsuits to hold Sanofi and Boehringer Ingelheim accountable for their reckless disregard for human health and willingness to put profit over people. Florida resident Joseph L. Galimidi filed the first individual Zantac® lawsuit in the United States against Sanofi on Sept. 13, 2019. Galimidi had been taking Zantac® since 2009 and developed breast cancer, which is rare in men, in 2013. A Colorado resident Mark Allan Blake also filed a Zantac® lawsuit against Sanofi US Services Inc., Chattem, Inc., Boehringer Ingelheim, Pfizer and GlaxoSmithKline on Oct. 21, 2019.
If you or a loved one have been diagnosed with cancer after taking Zantac® on a regular basis you need to speak up! You might be eligible for financial compensation for your pain and suffering. Don’t suffer in silence. Fill out a no-cost claim review to see if you are eligible to receive compensation. – complete the free and easy claim review form today.
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The Food and Drug Administration has recalled several more lots of heartburn medications, including more generic versions of Zantac, that have been found to contain trace amounts of a substance that may be linked to cancer.
The World Health Organization has classified that substance, N-Nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA), as a "probable human carcinogen."
F.A.Q
Frequently Asked Questions
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Does Zantac Cause Cancer?
Yes.
The active ingredient in Zantac, ranitidine, has been shown to have high levels of NDMA. The FDA, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the World Health Organization (WHO) all classify NDMA as a carcinogen.
The ranitidine molecule is made up of a nitrate and a dimethylamine group which combine to form NDMA. Ranitidine reacts with itself to produce NDMA. Therefore, every form of ranitidine, including Zantac, exposes users to NDMA.
There have been many studies that have been conducted to prove the harmful effects of NDMA including the following:
- A 1995 study revealed that NDMA can increase the risk of gastric cancer in persons exposed to more than .51 ng a day.
- A 1995 study showed NDMA can increase the risk of aerodigestive cancer in individuals exposed to more than .179 ng a day.
- A 1999 study showed that those taking medication with NDMA on a daily basis doubled their risk of developing colorectal cancer.
- A 2000 study looked at workers in the rubber industry who worked with NDMA on a daily basis. Research revealed that the exposure increased the risk of cancer in the brain, esophagus, oral cavity, pharynx and prostate.
- A 2011 study showed that dietary exposure to NDMA increased the risk of all types of cancer
- A 2014 study showed that there was an association between NDMA and colorectal cancer.
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Is There a Zantac Recall?
Yes. The FDA has recalled Zantac and generic ranitidine in both prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) forms.
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What is NDMA?
The FDA has cautioned consumers, patients and doctors that NDMA contamination has been found in Zantac and generic ranitidine medications. NDMA is a volatile chemical that exists in trace amounts in many foods and water, but can cause cancer in elevated concentrations. Independent labs and the FDA have confirmed that levels of NDMA contamination in Zantac blood pressure medication and generic ranitidine were “unacceptable.”
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Can I File a Zantac Lawsuit?
If you have taken Zantac and been diagnosed with cancer, NDMA contamination may be responsible and you may have a claim for compensation.
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How Much Does an Attorney Cost?
Most attorneys handling these cases will only get paid if they win your case. Further, it costs nothing to speak with an attorney about your rights.
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How Was the Zantac Cancer Link Revealed?
The online pharmaceutical company Valisure issued a Citizen’s Petition to the FDA to recall Zantac and other ranitidine products when their testing revealed high levels of NDMA in 2019. Their research revealed that there was more than 2,600,000 ng of NDMA in one 150 mg tablet. With the FDA daily limit set at 96 mg., this exceeds the legal limit by about 28,000 times.
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What Type of Cancers Have Been Linked to Zantac?
Zantac can increase the risk of many types of cancer including the following:
- Uterine cancer
- Bladder cancer
- Thyroid cancer
- Colorectal cancer
- Testicular cancer
- Esophageal cancer
- Stomach cancer
- Intestinal cancer
- Prostate cancer
- Kidney cancer
- Pancreatic cancer
- Liver cancer
- Lung cancer
- Pancreatic cancer
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What Legal Action Can I Take if Zantac Has Had a Negative Effect on My Life?
If you or a loved on has developed cancer as a result of taking Zantac, you deserve to be compensated. The right lawyer can help you get the justice you deserve. A lawyer can help you recoup damages including a loss of wages, medical expenses and emotional pain and suffering.
There are many personal injury and wrongful death lawyers who are skilled at getting their clients the results they are looking for. Research carefully to find one that is right for you.
The Zantac company knew they were selling products that contained harmful chemicals, yet they continued to sell them knowing they were putting millions of innocent people at risk. If you were one of these individuals, don’t let them get away with it. Call a reliable Zantac lawyer today.
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