The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced the recall of the heartburn drug, Zantac®, after low levels of a probable carcinogen known as N-nitrosodimethlylamine (NDMA) was discovered.

Lawsuits have been filed claiming that Sanofi-Aventis, the manufacturer of Zantac®, knew that the drug could produce harmful levels of NDMA after being ingested but failed to warn users. As a result, millions of people unknowingly put themselves at risk of developing various forms of cancer by taking the widely prescribed heartburn medication.

If you have taken Zantac® and are now suffering from liver, colorectal, pancreatic, esophageal, prostate, stomach or any other type of digestive tract cancer, it’s important to know that you have rights and may be entitled to compensation through filing a Zantac® lawsuit.

Call Johnson & Lapham LLC at 513-536-6000 to speak with an attorney.

Levels of NDMA Detected in Zantac®

Unacceptable levels of NDMA in ranitidine medicines, including the brand-name drug Zantac®, were first detected by the online pharmacy Valisure. According to Valisure, ranitidine can convert to NDMA once ingested. Testing showed more than 3 million nanograms of NDMA per tablet, which is more than 31,000 times the amount determined to be safe by the FDA. After this shocking discovery, Valisure petitioned to the FDA for all over-the-counter and prescription ranitidine products to be recalled.

The FDA’s investigations also revealed concerning levels of NDMA in samples of ranitidine. Lawsuits are now being filed against Zantac®’s maker, Sanofi, arguing that the company knew the drug could produce dangerous levels of NDMA.

A Known Carcinogen

Safety concerns about NDMA can be dated back to the 1980s. Originally used to make rocket fuel, NDMA can be very harmful, particularly to the liver, when consumed. NDMA is a known environmental contaminant and is classified as a probable human carcinogen. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), exposure to high levels over a short term and low levels over a long term have both been shown to cause cancer, internal bleeding, and even death.