Carcinogens are agents or substances that may promote cancers. These compounds cause cancer by damaging DNA in cells or changing cellular metabolism. Various everyday products may contain carcinogens, and medicines are no exception. One particular medication that comes into mind is Zantac.
What is Zantac?
Zantac is the brand name of the generic medicine called ranitidine. Its primary objective is to help treat ulcers in the stomach and intestines. As a bonus, this medicine may also help treat heartburn.
This drug works by decreasing the amount of stomach acid. Thus, it helps to relieve symptoms like chronic cough, stomach pain, and difficulty in swallowing.
Why was Zantac Recalled?
A September 13, 2019 announcement by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) stated that Zantac might contain a carcinogen. As a precautionary measure, Sanofi, a French pharmaceutical company and developer of Zantac, recalled the medicine to help reduce the risk of potential health hazards.
The recall included the three variations of the drug, which are Zantac 75, Zantac 150, and Zantac 150 Cool Mint. As per a statement provided by Sanofi to the FDA and the rest of its consumer base, the company says it remains committed to offering transparency to its business transactions. Also, the French pharmaceutical firm will work with the FDA to create informed decisions based on acquired and available data and evidence.
People who acquired cancer from Zantac use may file a lawsuit to Sanofi. A Zantac lawsuit and claim is possible, but the patient may need to supply concrete evidence to supplement the allegation.
What are the Side Effects of Zantac?
Zantac’s ability to help treat ulcers in the stomach and intestines might not be free of adverse effects. A few negative effects users may experience when consuming the drug are:
- Diarrhea
- Constipation
- Fatigue
- Headache
- Nausea
- Vomiting
Continuous use might lead to cancers like stomach, small intestine, and liver cancers. It’s because of the lab results from Valisure, an analytical pharmacy based in America, revealed that Zantac has high levels of Nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA).
The unstable break down of this compound in the digestive tract may promote harmful effects in the body. Also, the lab results claimed that significant exposure to NDMA might lead to severe adverse effects regardless of the source of the ranitidine medication. So, people may still get hazardous effects from ranitidine consumption even if individuals didn’t consume the compound from Zantac.
How to Qualify for a Zantac Lawsuit or Settlement?
The announcement for the product recall from Sanofi may have sent the medical sector into a frenzy. People who consumed Zantac and other ranitidine medicines might seek legal compensation if they acquired severe adverse effects from consuming these drugs. But, patients need to qualify for the lawsuit before the allegations can proceed.
First, the victim may potentially qualify for the Zantac cancer lawsuit if there are detailed records of use. Hence, patients need to show that they took Zantac or other ranitidine forms. Prevailing documents may include prescriptions or copies of pharmacy records.
Proving the use of over-the-counter ranitidine products may hold little weight in settlement of a Zantac cancer case. But, documents like receipts, medical records, and other validating papers may supplement other pieces of evidence.
Next, the patient needs to show an injury caused by the use of Zantac or other ranitidine products. The individual may confirm a diagnosis of one or more primary cancers developed from ranitidine consumption. The victim might easily prove this claim by asking for a copy of their medical records from the doctor, clinic, or hospital that verified the existence of cancer in the patient.
Third, and the last piece of evidence that the victim needs to supply is to show proof of a correlation between Zantac or ranitidine use with the cancer diagnosis. Lawyers may qualify the lawsuit if evidence exists of the user taking high doses of Zantac. Also, other supporting documents like lab results and medical records should accompany the claim to increase the chances of the settlement to proceed.
After acquiring these pieces of evidence, the attorney should weigh all the factors if there’s a good chance for the victim to win the lawsuit. However, Zantac or ranitidine users need to know that many lawyers might require records of significant exposure to the drugs mentioned above. A year or more of exposure should suffice in that regard. But, if the potential lawsuit claims that the consumer only used the medicine for a few months, then the chances of lawyers accepting the case might be slim to none.
Zantac and other ranitidine drugs might cause cancer based on laboratory findings. These drugs might promote positive effects as they can help treat ulcers in the stomach and intestines. But, consumers need to keep a close eye on their ranitidine consumption. Higher-than-normal doses might lead to severe health complications like primary cancers.