Filing a Zantac (Ranitidine) Product Liability Lawsuit in Florida if You Have Cancer
Zantac was recalled back in October 2019, but it took the Food and Drug Administration half a year to request manufacturers of ranitidine drugs to withdraw their medication from the market.
If you were diagnosed with cancer after consuming Zantac or other ranitidine products for a prolonged period of time, you might be able to sue the ranitidine manufacturer via a product liability suit.
Does Zantac (Ranitidine) Cause Cancer?
Two weeks after the FDA’s preliminary tests found traces of cancer-causing agent nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) in ranitidine medications, major drugstore chains in the U.S. pulled Zantac and other ranitidine drugs from their shelves. This happened in October 2019.
On April 1, 2020, the FDA finally requested manufacturers to remove all ranitidine products from the market due to cancer concerns. The federal agency also formally recommended that American consumers stop taking Zantac and other ranitidine products.
The FDA’s investigation found that Zantac and other ranitidine drugs contained up to 0.86 micrograms of NDMA, exceeding the FDA’s daily intake limit of under 0.1 micrograms. NDMA, a substance that could cause cancer, is found in food, water, and petroleum products. People consume small amounts of NDMA with food and water, but those low levels of exposure are harmless.
The presence of NDMA in ranitidine drugs, meanwhile, exposes consumers to unacceptable carcinogen levels for prolonged periods of time. In fact, studies have found that NDMA impurities in ranitidine products can accumulate when stored at higher-than-average temperatures.
Types of Cancer Linked to Ranitidine Drug Usage
Despite the FDA’s recall of ranitidine products to protect U.S. consumers, some people have already developed cancer and other medical conditions over the years and decades of using ranitidine drugs. Earlier in 2020, a Florida woman filed a lawsuit against several manufacturers of ranitidine drugs for developing colon cancer due to her 10 years of exposure to NDMA.
Colon cancer is not the only condition linked to ranitidine-related exposure to NDMA. Other types of cancer and conditions include:
- Brain cancer
- Blood cancer
- Bladder cancer
- Breast cancer
- Liver cancer
- Lung cancer
- Stomach cancer
- Intestinal cancer
- Kidney cancer
- Pancreatic cancer
- Esophageal cancer
- Ovarian cancer
- Testicular cancer
- Leukemia
- Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
Filing a Zantac Product Liability Lawsuit in Florida
Consumers who developed cancer or some other medical conditions after prolonged use of Zantac (ranitidine) may be able to file a product liability lawsuit. You may be eligible to seek compensation if your case meets the following elements:
- You used Zantac or other ranitidine products. To prove your ranitidine use, you can gather your medical and pharmacy records or prescriptions. If you used ranitidine medications over-the-counter, collect pharmaceutical receipts and notes.
- You used ranitidine for at least six months. Only those who used Zantac or another ranitidine medication for a prolonged period may be eligible for a product liability lawsuit because NDMA takes time to build up.
- You developed cancer due to your ranitidine drug usage. You must be able to prove the link between your cancer diagnosis and your consumption of Zantac (ranitidine).
Consult with our Miami product liability attorneys to file a lawsuit against Zantac manufacturers in Florida. Do not hesitate as Florida law has time limits to sue for product liability injuries. Contact Pita Weber Del Prado to determine whether your ranitidine usage and cancer diagnosis qualify for a Zantac lawsuit. Call at 305-670-2889 to get a case review.
Resource:
fda.gov/drugs/drug-safety-and-availability/fda-updates-and-press-announcements-ndma-zantac-ranitidine
health.harvard.edu/blog/popular-heartburn-drug-ranitidine-recalled-what-you-need-to-know-and-do-2019092817911
fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-requests-removal-all-ranitidine-products-zantac-market
