July 5, 2020 โ Two more Zantac cancer lawsuits were consolidated into the U.S. District Court of Florida, where the Zantac litigation is pending. The two plaintiffs, one from Pennsylvania and the other from Florida, were both women who claimed that regular use of Zantac lead them (or their decedent) to develop cancer.
The Pennsylvania-based plaintiff filed a claim on behalf of a deceased family memberโs estate. The decedent had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2018, succumbing to the illness on August 31, 2019. According to her complaint, the decedent used Zantac regularly and followed the directions regarding drug usage. The plaintiffโs complaint stated that the decedent would have not used Zantac if he had been aware of the cancer risks associated with Zantac.
The Florida-based plaintiffโs complaint stated that she had begun taking over-the-counter Zantac regularly more than 20 years ago, using both 75 mg and 150 mg does, initially beginning to use the drug to reduce her stomach acid after undergoing an endoscopy. Similar to the Pennsylvania plaintiffโs claim, the Florida plaintiff stated that she used the drug as directed on the label. She began with 75 mg doses but transitioned to 150 mg doses after the higher dose became available in the US market. She also noted that she would have not used Zantac if she had been aware of the cancer risks associated with the drug.
The Florida plaintiff was diagnosed with stage IIC colon cancer in April 2018. She subsequently underwent invasive surgery to have a large part of her colon removed. She has since received various cancer treatments, including chemotherapy treatment.
Both pancreatic cancer and colon cancer have been linked to Zantac use. Both plaintiffs sought compensatory damages as well as punitive damages against the manufacturer.
Reference: Luhana, Roopal. โPlaintiffs File New Zantac Lawsuits, Claim Drug Caused Colon, Pancreatic Cancer.โย New York Injury Law News, The Legal Examiner, 5 July 2020, www.newyork.legalexaminer.com/health/plaintiffs-file-new-zantac-lawsuits-claim-drug-caused-colon-pancreatic-cancer/