Attorneys from four firms have recently filed a petition to consolidate product liability cases concerning Zantac, a heartburn medication. 40 California plaintiffs claim they developed cancer (including, bladder, prostate, thyroid, and kidney cancer) after using Zantac. GlaxoSmithKline LLC is one of the main manufacturers involved, as well as Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica Inc., Sanofi-Aventis, and Pfizer Inc. depending on the case. If the consolidation is allowed to go ahead, existing cases against these same manufacturers will be free to align — namely ones in the Florida multidistrict litigation presided over by the U.S. District Judge Robin Rosenberg.

Building a stronger case

When a larger number of plaintiffs consolidate their cases and present claims together alleging similar harm and injury, their individual cases appear more justified and stronger to the jury. Defendants commonly use this argument to criticise the existence of mass tort laws. Additionally, consolidation can strengthen cases that potentially initially appear to be a separate issue — like the case of an eight-year-old boy whose mother took Zantac during pregnancy being diagnosed with testicular cancer, for example.

Cancer risk

Following an investigation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Zantac was found to contain alarmingly high amounts of a substance called NDMA. The FDA ordered Zantac’s removal from the market in April 2020. Since then, there’s been conflicting studies about NDMA contamination and Zantac’s long-term impact on human health. The risks aren’t yet fully known. The main issues in these lawsuits surrounds whether Zantac’s contamination with NDMA caused the plaintiff’s cancers, and whether the various manufacturers were aware of this possibility. The precise amounts of NDMA present in each individual batch of medication isn’t yet known.

Eye damage and Elmiron medication

The safety and potential harmful side effects of prescription medication is an ongoing issue. In particular, the Zantac lawsuits are occurring alongside multiple claims against Elmiron, a widely prescribed bladder medication linked to a potentially serious eye condition. In fact, a quarter of patients with significant exposure to Elmiron have been found to display signs of retinal damage. In an Elmiron lawsuit, lawyers work on behalf of their clients to recover compensation for eye damage caused by the medication. However, the time they have to do so is limited by law, so affected individuals must act quickly.

Fortunately, if identified early, the damage caused by Elmiron can be stopped simply by stopping the medication. Otherwise, patients risk permanent vision loss.

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