Our committed lawyers are assisting consumers to bring Zantac lawsuits. If you believe Zantac (ranitidine) has caused you or someone you know to have cancer, we may be able to help you hold the makers of Zantac accountable for their actions.
Call Distasio Law Firm now to find out if you are able to make a claim. The call is free and you will not owe us anything unless we obtain a recovery on your behalf. Our dedicated mass torts attorneys are ready to help you file your Florida Zantac lawsuit today.
The time to bring a claim may be limited. So it is important to act now to see if you qualify.
What Is Zantac?
Zantac is the brand name for the drug ranitidine. Most often it was used to treat and prevent heartburn and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). A less common use was to treat serious conditions like stomach or intestinal ulcers and a condition known as Zollinger-Ellison syndrome. It belongs to a class of drugs called histamine-2 or H2 blockers. A more common name for this class of drugs is an “antacid”.
Zantac was first patented by Glaxo, a major pharmaceutical company, in the early 1980s. Originally it was sold as a prescription medication. However, over time, the FDA allowed it to be sold over-the-counter because it was considered safe. At that time, the government had no idea it was capable of causing all kinds of cancer with long term use. The real question is whether the companies that made it knew of Zantac’s cancer-causing properties.
The decision to allow Zantac to be sold over the counter turned out to be a real money maker. In fact, the drug went on to become one of the best-selling drugs in history. One of the factors that made it so successful was the marketing strategy of emphasizing that it was very safe and totally harmless. Not only was this ultimately proven to be untrue, there are real questions about when the drug companies knew that Zantac causes cancer.
Zantac Recalls and Lawsuits
Way back in the 1980s some scientists suspected that ranitidine reacted with nitrite in the stomach to make NDMA, a known carcinogen. More recently, in 2019, Valisure, a pharmacy testing company concluded NDMA was actually within ranitidine (Zantac) it tested. Valisure found that the Zantac tested contained 26,000 times the maximum daily limit of NDMA. The company immediately reported its findings to the FDA. There are lawsuits against the manufacturers of ranitidine and Zantac in Florida. The lawsuits allege there is a chemical called N-Nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) created in the body when ranitidine is taken over time it causes cancer.
As a result, the FDA conducted its own tests and found NDMA in ranitidine as well. At first, the FDA issued a warning. This led to some drug stores including CVS, Walgreens, Rite Aid, and Walmart to voluntarily take the drug off their shelves. On April 01, 2020, the FDA finally issued a recall of Zantac and ranitidine containing products.
What Kind of Cancer Does Zantac Cause?
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and other government agencies consider NDMA, the contaminant found in Zantac, to be a “probable carcinogen”.
The list of cancers linked to long term use of Zantac or other forms of ranitidine containing NDMA include:
- Bladder Cancer
- Colorectal cancer
- Esophageal cancer
- Kidney cancer
- Liver cancer
- Leukemia
- Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma
- Pancreatic cancer
- Stomach cancer
- Testicular cancer
If you have any of these diseases and you were a regular user of ranitidine, you may be eligible to bring a ranitidine lawsuit in Florida.
What Companies Made Zantac/ Ranitidine?
Zantac is just one brand of ranitidine. But it is not the only maker of the drug. The truth is that many other companies were making it for many years. At least 16 companies have stopped making ranitidine. Those companies include:
- AHP – Ranitidine Liquid Unit Dose Cups
- American Health Packaging – Ranitidine Tablets
- Amneal – Ranitidine Tablets and Ranitidine Syrup
- ani – Ranitidine Tablets 150mg and 300mg
- Apotex Corporation – Ranitidine Tablets
- GSMS Incorporated – Ranitidine HCl 150mg and 300mg Capsules
- Glenmark – Ranitidine Tablets 150mg and 300mg
- Mylan Pharmaceuticals Inc. – Nizatidine Capsules
- Northwind – Ranitidine Tablets 150mg and 300mg
- PrecisionDose – Ranitidine Oral Solution
- Aurobindo & DG Health – Ranitidine Tablets
- Novitium Pharma – Ranitidine Hydrochloride Capsules
- Lannett Company, Inc. – Ranitidine Syrup
- Dr. Reddy’s – Ranitidine Tablets & Capsules
- Sandoz Inc – Ranitidine Hydrochloride Capsules
- Sanofi – Zantac 150, Zantac 150 Cool Mint, Zantac 75
- Perrigo Company plc – Ranitidine tablets
What Can a Nearby Florida Zantac Lawyer Do For Me?
A skilled legal professional from Distasio Law Firm can listen to the facts of what happened to you or your loved one and determine if you have a case. If you do have a case, our proactive lawyers will gather your medical records, review them, hire experts witnesses, investigate your case, and do whatever is necessary to hold the pharmaceutical companies that harmed you accountable through a Zantac lawsuit.
Should I File a Zantac Lawsuit in Florida?
Our Florida Zantac lawyers near you will decide whether it makes sense to file your claim in Florida. This determination will be made after the evidence to prove your claim has been gathered. But you need not worry about this issue. The important thing is to make sure you are properly compensated for what happened, not where the lawsuit is filed.
Your claim will not be part of a class action lawsuit. Instead, your claim will be handled individually. This will ensure the unique qualities of your case are considered. However, the courts usually require all cases involving a similar drug to be moved in front of one judge. This is called Multi-District Litigation or MDL. This ensures one judge becomes familiar with all of the issues and can make educated decisions about the cases. But do not worry, the consolidation is only to decide legal issues. Your case will still be handled on an individual basis. The MDL for Zantac may very well be in Florida.
What Is the Statute of Limitations for Zantac Lawsuits?
All lawsuits must be brought within a certain amount of time or they are forever barred. This is called the statute of limitations. In Florida, the statute of limitations is 4 years from when all of the elements of the claim have accrued. In addition, there is a 12-year statute of repose. It can be very complicated to determine when is the last date to bring a Zantac case. That is why you should not try to make this decision yourself. Instead, you should act immediately to contact Distasio Law Firm so we can preserve your statute of limitations before your claim is forever barred.
Contact Us Today to File Your Zantac Lawsuit in Florida
Although Distasio Law Firm is based in Tampa we handle Zantac claims across the entire state of Florida. It is our mission to hold corporate wrongdoers accountable for damages caused by their dangerous drugs. For more information about Florida Zantac lawsuits near you and to learn whether you have a viable case, reach out to our office today.