Personal Injury Blog

Zantac Injury Lawyer, New Jersey

There has been a lot of recent press about Zantac recalls, and on April 1, 2020, the FDA put out a statement requesting that all Zantac products (ranitidine) be taken off the market. This is a serious response to a serious problem – these products are contaminated with the carcinogenic chemical known as NDMA. If you have cancer that you believe is related to Zantac usage, contact an experienced New Jersey Zantac injury lawyer today.

Zantac Contamination

An online pharmacy, Valisure, discovered dimethylformamide (DMF) in Zantac during its regular testing in the spring of 2019. DMF is a solvent that can form nitrosamine contaminants like N-Nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA), which is considered a probable carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) and by the World Health Organization (WHO). The FDA had been investigating such contaminants in both blood pressure and heart failure drugs since July 2018 and had already made various recommendations for recalls related to unacceptable levels in these pharmaceuticals.

Extremely High Levels of NDMA

Valisure’s testing practices found that Zantac and other ranitidine products contained extremely high levels of NDMA that exceeded 3 million ng per pill, which far outstrips the FDA’s permissible allowance of 96 ng per day. As a result of this finding, the pharmacy petitioned the FDA in September of 2019 – requesting a recall of all ranitidine products in an effort to help protect public health. Four days later, the FDA published a ranitidine warning confirming that some ranitidine products were contaminated, including Zantac.

A Natural By-Product of the Drug

The FDA has classified the NDMA found in the common heartburn medication Zantac (and other ranitidine products) as an impurity, but the pharmacy doing the testing claims that the known carcinogen, NDMA, is a by-product of the drug being manufactured in the first place. Both Valisure and Stanford University have conducted research indicating that the ranitidine molecule’s inherent instability causes the NDMA in the finished product. In other words, any medications containing ranitidine would be similarly affected and contaminated. As such, the FDA ultimately requested that all ranitidine products be immediately removed from the market.

Associated Cancers

The types of cancer most closely associated with Zantac and other ranitidine products include:

  • Bladder cancer
  • Brain cancer
  • Colon and rectal cancer
  • Esophageal cancer
  • Intestinal cancer
  • Kidney cancer
  • Liver cancer
  • Pancreatic cancer
  • Prostate cancer
  • Testicular cancer

Any one of these forms of cancer – and many more – can be related to ranitidine.

If You’ve Taken Zantac and Been Diagnosed with Cancer, an Experienced New Jersey Zantac Lawyer Can Help

If your prior usage of Zantac or another ranitidine product leads to a cancer diagnosis, attorney Scott G. Leonard at Leonard Legal Group in Morristown and Franklin Lakes, New Jersey, is committed to fighting for your rights and for your rightful compensation. Mr. Leonard understands the gravity of your situation and has the experience, commitment, and resources to help. For more information, please don’t hesitate to contact us online or call us at 973-984-1414 today.