Los Angeles, Calif., April 6, 2021 - - The results from three new Zantac studies confirm the popular drug contains high levels of a cancer-causing agent (NDMA) and increases the risk of developing several types of cancer. The studies, one from Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, one from online pharmacy Valisure, and another from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, all found that at a minimum, Zantac (ranitidine) exposes users to substantial amounts of NDMA and may increase the risk of developing:
- Bladder cancer
- Breast cancer
- Esophageal cancer
- Kidney cancer
- Prostate cancer
- Stomach cancer
- Thyroid cancer
"One of the things we have said from the very beginning is this litigation is not about a contaminated drug – this drug is defective and dangerous by design," says Zantac cancer attorney R. Brent Wisner. "The latest studies confirm that when Zantac is used as intended, the molecule itself produces astoundingly high levels of NDMA and significantly increases the risk of developing cancer."
The link between Zantac and cancer is well established. In 2019, the online pharmacy company Valisure conducted batch testing on various Zantac and ranitidine tablets. The testing found dangerously high levels of N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) in Zantac.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the World Health Organization (WHO) all classify NDMA as a cancer-causing substance. In April of 2020, the FDA requested a market removal for all Zantac and ranitidine products.
Baum Hedlund Aristei & Goldman represents thousands of people throughout the country in Zantac cancer lawsuits. The complaints allege Zantac (ranitidine) has a critical defect: when ingested, the drug produces high quantities of NDMA and large quantities of NDMA form in the drug when it is stored at elevated temperatures. If Zantac manufacturers had disclosed and disseminated the cancer risks associated with the drug, people could have avoided the risk of developing injuries and could have obtained or used alternative medication, the lawsuits allege.
Latest Valisure Zantac Study
Out of the three new Zantac cancer studies, the latest from Valisure is arguably the most concerning. The study, titled 'Analysis of Ranitidine-Associated N-Nitrosodimethylamine Production Under Simulated Physiologic Conditions' sought to characterize the conditions of NDMA production "under simulated physiologic gastric states."
In other words, the researchers mimicked the human stomach ingesting a Zantac tablet across a broad range of pH concentrations, ranitidine concentrations, and nitrite concentrations. The study used FDA-recommended methods for determining nitrosamines in ranitidine tablets.
The study data showed that Zantac "may be a significant source of NDMA under a range of physiologically relevant conditions." Specifically, in a variety of conditions mimicking the human stomach, NDMA levels in ranitidine increased with both increasing nitrite and decreasing pH to levels up to 3 orders of magnitude beyond established limits.
While the study authors maintain that additional studies are ongoing and further research on this subject is needed, the Valisure study states that "these data support recent regulatory actions to limit ranitidine availability.
New Study on Zantac Published in Cancers
In December of 2020, the journal Cancers published a new study on Zantac in which researchers examined data from the FDA's Adverse Events Reporting System (FAERS). The study, 'The Association between Ranitidine Use and Gastrointestinal Cancers', searched adverse event reports of cancers stemming from primary and secondary use of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) and H2 antagonists, the group of drugs to which ranitidine belongs.
Researchers discovered elevated incidences of pharyngeal cancer, esophageal cancer, stomach cancer, liver cancer, and pancreatic cancer, among others.
The results share similarities with research from 2000 that investigated the association between prescription ranitidine use and specific cancers. In that study, scientists reported a statistically significant 2.4-fold increased risk for stomach cancer and esophageal cancer.
The Cancers study provides "support for the assertion that NDMA contaminated ranitidine is associated with the occurrence of gastrointestinal cancer. This assertion was bolstered by an abundance of evidence demonstrating that NDMA exposure is associated with an increased risk of cancer in humans as well as animals."
Sloan Kettering Zantac Study
The Sloan Kettering Zantac study, 'Ranitidine use, N-Nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) production and variations in cancer diagnoses' was conducted using similar methods to the Valisure study above.
The Sloan Kettering study examined NDMA production from ranitidine under various simulated gastric conditions. The researchers also conducted an epidemiologic analysis to evaluate potential associations between ranitidine and various forms of cancer.
Researchers discovered that Zantac produces increasing amounts of NDMA over time (up to, and likely beyond 4 hours) and with increasing sodium nitrite concentrations. The study also found positive associations for breast cancer, bladder cancer, prostate cancer, and thyroid cancer.
Pursuing a Zantac Lawsuit
If you or a family member were diagnosed with cancer after taking Zantac regularly, our firm is interested in pursuing justice and compensation on your behalf. Filing a Zantac lawsuit for personal injury or wrongful death can help pay for past and future lost wages suffered as a result of your cancer diagnosis, past and future medical bills, damages for pain and suffering, loss of consortium (wrongful death), and punitive damages against the drug makers.
To learn about pursuing a Zantac lawsuit, please contact us or call 800-827-0087
About Baum Hedlund Aristei & Goldman
Baum Hedlund is a leading plaintiff's firm with decades of experience successfully litigating cases against major corporations. R. Brent Wisner is the lead attorney over the firm's Zantac cancer litigation. He was co-lead trial counsel on the trial team that won the historic $2B Roundup cancer verdict against Monsanto. Mr. Wisner has earned a plethora of awards, including most recently, Law360's 2020 MVP Lawyer of the Year, The Daily Journal's 2019 Top 100 Lawyers in California, 2019 Civil Plaintiffs Trial Lawyer of the Year by the National Trial Lawyers and ALM and America's 50 Most Influential Trial Lawyers in 2019 by Trial Lawyer Magazine and The National Law Journal.
Across all practice areas, Baum Hedlund has obtained more than $4 billion in verdicts and settlements for clients and received recognition from many prestigious organizations, such as The National Law Journal Elite Trial Lawyers, National Trial Lawyers Mass Torts Elite Trial Lawyers Law Firm of the Year, and U.S. News and World Report Best Lawyers® Best Law Firms.
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