Consumers File Class-Action Lawsuit Against Makers of Zantac, According to Consumer-Rights Law Firm FeganScott
November 26 2019 - 2:07PM
Business Wire
Manufacturers GlaxoSmithKline, Sanofi and
others are named for allegedly failing to warn consumers about
cancer-causing agent NDMA
Two consumers filed a class-action lawsuit claiming
pharmaceutical giants GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and Sanofi (SNY), among
others, failed to warn consumers that the heartburn medication,
Zantac, produces a clinically proven carcinogen in the body at
levels far beyond what regulators consider safe.
According to Beth Fegan, founder and managing member of
consumer-rights law firm FeganScott, Zantac and its generic active
ingredient, ranitidine, became one of the world’s best-selling
drugs through a massive advertising campaign that touted the drug
as safe.
“Now we know those claims are wrong, and we intend to show that
the defendants knew this but continued to advocate the drug’s
safety in the face of abundant evidence to the contrary,” said
Fegan.
The complaint cites studies that ranitidine, when metabolized,
creates N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA), which the EPA, FDA and World
Health Organization (WHO) deem a carcinogen.
Filed in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of
Illinois, if approved as a class action, the suit would represent
the millions of U.S. consumers who took Zantac or its generic
equivalent for acid reflux, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
or other digestion-related issues.
Named plaintiffs Lynn White and Nataliya Birman used Zantac or
ranitidine believing the manufacturers’ claims of safety and were
concerned when media reports disclosed the scientific research
linking the drug to NDMA.
“As consumers, we are forced to rely on drug makers to be
truthful and honest in how they represent products,” Fegan noted.
“Now we see that the makers of Zantac had access to studies dating
back to the 1990s that showed a conclusive link to the carcinogenic
NDMA, and all this time have allowed consumers to take these cancer
pills.”
Though several manufacturers of Zantac, including
GlaxoSmithKline and Sanofi, recently issued recalls and halted
sales, these companies continue to stand behind the safety of
Zantac, exhibiting what the suit claims is an “extreme disregard
for the health and welfare” of consumers.
According to the complaint, “Had defendants disclosed that
Zantac results in unsafe levels of NDMA in the human body, no
person, let alone a reasonable person, would have purchased and
consumed Zantac.”
The lawsuit seeks to represent anyone who purchased Zantac or
its generic equivalent, ranitidine, and asks the court to set up a
medical monitoring program to diagnose and treat any related
cancers and demands punitive damages for defendants’ outrageous and
intentional conduct.
Consumers who are interested in learning more about this
class-action suit are urged to send their contact information to
zantac@feganscott.com.
About FeganScott
FeganScott is a national class-action law firm dedicated to
helping victims of consumer fraud, sexual abuse, and
discrimination. The firm is championed by acclaimed veteran,
class-action attorneys who have successfully recovered $1 billion
for victims nationwide. FeganScott is committed to pursuing
successful outcomes with integrity and excellence while holding the
responsible parties accountable.
Case: 1:19-cv-0777
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Mark Firmani feganscottpr@firmani.com 206.466.2700
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