The Zantac Cancer Scare Is Leading To Other Drug Recalls Throughout North America

Canadian health officials are concerned that diabetic drugs may have the same cancer-causing impurities as Zantac heartburn medicine

Monday, June 29, 2020 - In June of 2019, online testing pharmacy Valisure first submitted their citizen's petition to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requesting that Zantac (ranitidine), the world's best-selling heartburn and acid-reflux medication be removed from the market. The FDA did so nearly a year later after it became apparent that high levels of NDMA, a known carcinogen, were being produced due to high storage temperatures and the chemical's interaction with nitrates in the stomach from food that was eaten. On April 1, 2020, the New York Times described the Zantac situation. "The Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday asked companies to stop selling all forms of the heartburn drug Zantac, after concluding that a potentially cancer-causing contaminant can build up in the drug when stored for long periods."

Highly publicized revelations such as this about NDMA in Zantac causing cancer has opened up an ongoing flood of litigation against Sanofi, the maker of Zantac, for failing to warn consumers of what they knew or should have known about the drug's allegedly deadly side effects. As a result, hundreds of lawsuits claim people have developed different types of cancer like stomach cancer, bladder cancer, and many others from taking Zantac regularly over many years. If you or a loved one have developed stomach cancer, bladder cancer, or any other, and have used Zantac for a prolonged period of years, you should consult with a Zantac cancer lawsuit attorney to see if you qualify to file a claim.

The discovery of high levels of the carcinogen NDMA in Zantac prompted Valisure to examine other drugs more closely to see if they also develop NDMA at unsafe levels. The most recent finding has been that Valisure found carcinogenic amounts of NDMA in metformin extended-release, a critical medication used by patients with type 2 diabetes to control blood glucose levels. The FDA promptly issued a metformin recall like the Zantac recall affecting millions of individuals that rely on the medication, particularly those in Canada where diabetes is more prevalent than elsewhere.

If you are one of the millions of diabetic patients in the United States and Canada that were taking metformin, you may find yourself in a life or death situation. You should contact your physician immediately for personal medical guidance. Discontinuing taking metformin may have serious health consequences including death. Canadian health watchdog Health Canada advises citizens: "You should not stop taking your medication without first discussing treatment options with your health care provider. The risks from not having sufficient diabetes treatment outweigh any possible effects of exposure to the levels of nitrosamines found in the recalled Apotex metformin products." Health Canada tells describes the Canadian recall. "Certain brands of diabetes drugs containing metformin contain or may contain a nitrosamine impurity, N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA), above or close to the acceptable limit. Do not stop discontinue your metformin medication without first discussing options with your health care provider. Talk to your health care provider to discuss treatment options if you are taking or have taken a recalled product and are concerned about your health."

More Recent Heartburn MedicineLawsuit News:

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• Zantac Cancer Lawsuits Could Hinge On The Validity of Ranitidine Testing Methods | 7/11/2022
• Zantac Cancer Bellwether Trials In California Could Set The Stage For A Global Settlement Offer | 7/5/2022
• The FDA Recommended Protein Pump Inhibitor Drugs Like Prilosec And Nexium That May Damage Health More Than Zantac | 6/23/2022
• Truck Drivers, Firefighters, and Police Officers May Have Taken More Zantac Than People In Other Occupations | 6/20/2022
• Scientists Are Expected To Confirm That Ranidine Causes Gastrointestinal Cancer With Slam Dunk Testimony | 6/9/2022
• Scientific Hearings Will Start This September To Interview Zantac Cancer Expert Witnesses | 5/19/2022
• A Whistleblower Scientist Working For A Chinese Company Thinks NDMA Contamination Started In China | 5/12/2022
• Valisure's String Of Stunning Success Casts Doubt On The FDAs Ability To Police The Health Care Market | 5/2/2022
• Zantac Testing Accusations Heat Up With FDA Investigation Of Online Prescription Drug Testing Lab | 4/25/2022
• Study Finds Ranitidine Degrades Into 10,000 Nanograms of NDMA When Introduced To Simulated Stomach Conditions | 4/6/2022
• Potential Zantac Expert Witnesses Are Being Questioned By Zantac Defense Attorneys | 3/31/2022
• The FDA Requires That Drug Companies Regularly Test Ranitidine And Other Drug For NDMA | 3/24/2022
• Update: Where The Zantac Cancer Multidistrict Litigation (MDL) Stands Today | 3/12/2022
• Zantac Cancer Plaintiffs Look To The First Trial In October In Alameda California | 3/11/2022
• Zantac Cancer Plaintiffs Have Until June 30 To Finalize Their Claim | 3/7/2022
• Zantac Bellwether Trials May Focus On Ranitidine Testing Methods That Could Cause NDMA To Accelerate | 3/1/2022
• Valisure LLC's Motivations And Ranitidine Testing Methods May Not Be Scrutinized Before Trial | 2/24/2022
• Zantac Lawsuits May Go To Trial In California In October Of This Year | 2/18/2022
• Sanofi's History Of Reprehensible Corporate Behavior May Bolster Zantac Cancer Lawsuits | 2/10/2022

Lawyers for Zantac Heartburn Medicine Lawsuits

OnderLaw, LLC is a St. Louis personal injury law firm handling serious injury and death claims across the country. Its mission is the pursuit of justice, no matter how complex the case or strenuous the effort. The Onder Law Firm has represented clients throughout the United States in pharmaceutical and medical device litigation such as Pradaxa, Lexapro and Yasmin/Yaz, where the firm's attorneys held significant leadership roles in the litigation, as well as Actos, DePuy, Risperdal and others. The Onder Law Firm has won more than $300 million in four talcum powder ovarian cancer lawsuits in St. Louis. Law firms throughout the nation often seek its experience and expertise on complex litigation.