ZANTAC LAWYERS WITH BILLIONS IN VERDICTS AND SETTLEMENTS

Deciding on a safe Zantac replacement is something you should discuss with your doctor. The FDA recommends the following Zantac alternatives:

• Prilosec (omeprazole) – A proton pump inhibitor (PPI) medication commonly used to treat stomach acid-related conditions, including gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
• Nexium (esomeprazole) – A proton pump inhibitor (PPI) that reduces stomach acid production and treats GERD, ulcers, and other conditions.
• Prevacid (lansoprazole) – A proton pump inhibitor (PPI) recommended for short-term ulcer and acid reflux treatment.
• Pepcid (famotidine) – An H2 blocker that treats ulcers, GERD, and conditions that cause excess stomach acid.
• Tagamet (cimetidine) – An H2 blocker that reduces acid in the stomach to treat ulcers and acid reflux.

Zantac (ranitidine) was taken off the market because the drug contains unacceptable levels of N-Nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA), which is a substance known to cause cancer. Testing of ranitidine drugs showed levels of NDMA above the FDA’s acceptable daily intake limit of 96 nanograms (ng) per day. For example, testing from Connecticut-based online pharmacy Valisure detected NDMA in excess of 3,000,000 ng per tablet when analyzing ranitidine products.

Valisure tests medications for consistency and quality issues. During testing, the company discovered extremely high levels of NDMA “in every lot tested, across multiple manufacturers and dosage forms of the drug ranitidine.”

Valisure’s finding was consistent with studies from Stanford University and elsewhere, which found that NDMA in Zantac was likely due to the “inherent instability” of the ranitidine molecule.

“There’s no acceptable cancer risk for a drug like this,” said David Light, CEO of Valisure.

Ranitidine is a very unstable molecule. On one side, you have the N (Nitroso). On the other side, you have the DMA (Dimethylamine). When the molecule is exposed to heat, various biological processes in the stomach, and enzymatic reactions throughout the body, it shears apart and reconstitutes as NDMA. But the formation of NDMA is not limited to the reaction in human stomach. Ranitidine can turn into NDMA in the pill bottle itself. In fact, our Zantac lawsuits allege that the drug manufacturers for decades had this problem where ranitidine turned yellow in storage. If it’s yellow, that’s NDMA. They claim they had no idea why this was the case, but our lawsuits say otherwise—they knew.” – Ranitidine Cancer Attorney R. Brent Wisner

Zantac is the brand name for ranitidine. Chemically known as ranitidine hydrochloride (or ranitidine Hcl), Zantac belongs to a class of drugs called histamine H2-receptor antagonists (or H2 blockers), which decrease the amount of acid produced by the stomach.

Common uses for Zantac include the treatment of acid reflux, heartburn, and a host of other stomach, throat, and gastrointestinal issues. Others use Zantac for allergies to supplement their treatment regimen.

Zantac dosage varies between 75 and 150 mg tablets, though some patients take a once daily Zantac 300 mg dosage. Some common Zantac and generic ranitidine products include:

• Zantac 150 Tablets
• Zantac 150 Maximum Strength
• Zantac 150 Maximum Strength Cool Mint
• Zantac 75 Tablets
• Wal-Zan 150
• Wal-Zan 75
• Heartburn Relief (ranitidine)
• Acid Reducer (ranitidine)
• Acid Control (ranitidine)

Unsure if you took Zantac (ranitidine)? You can use this pill identification app or you can look through this series of Zantac and ranitidine pill images.

Most Zantac lawsuit cases were initially consolidated in a federal multidistrict litigation (Zantac MDL) before U.S. District Court Judge Robin L. Rosenberg for the Southern District of Florida. However, Judge Rosenberg issued an order granting Zantac defendants’ motion for summary judgment, effectively dismissing all federal cases. Attorneys for the plaintiffs are appealing that decision, and rightfully so, but until those dismissals are resolved, the case is effectively over in the federal system.

The Zantac lawyers at Wisner Baum didn’t have any cases filed in the MDL. Rather, we filed our cases in California and Delaware state courts—indeed, we formed consolidated proceedings in California and Delaware. Wisner Baum’s managing partner, R. Brent Wisner, serves as co-lead trial counsel in both states.

The primary state courts with Zantac cases include:

• California
• Connecticut
• Delaware
• Illinois
• Pennslyvania

Many people have the instinct to hire a local attorney to handle their case. In a nationwide mass tort litigation like Zantac, your lawyer’s location is not as important as their experience and track record in successfully resolving cases similar to yours.

Here’s what you should be looking for in a Zantac lawyer:

• Proven track record in similar cases
• Resources needed to take on major corporate defendants
• Trial-ready litigation team that prepares cases to go before juries to maximize your compensation
• Compassionate, friendly representation that puts your needs first
• Availability if and when you have questions about your claim

The Zantac cancer litigation is a mass tort, which shares similarities with a class action but differs in important ways.

In a class action, individual plaintiffs are consolidated into a lawsuit seeking economic damages (money paid for a defective or falsely advertised product) rather than personal injury claims.

A mass tort involves a court (federal or state) grouping similar individual cases and adjudicating them in a single court. Instead of having each lawsuit proceed to trial separately, the cases are transferred to a single court to consolidate pretrial proceedings.