The first Zantac (ranitidine) case scheduled for trial reached a $500,000 settlement shortly before trial. Plaintiff Joseph Bayer voluntarily dismissed his case due to a settlement he reached with generic drugmakers. Bayer alleged that the popular heartburn medication caused his esophageal cancer.
$500,000 Zantac Settlement Agreement One Week Before Trial
Zantac lawsuits allege that drug manufacturers knew or should have known that the drug contains NDMA, a possible human carcinogen. Initial research showed that NDMA levels in Zantac increase at higher temperatures or the longer it sits on the shelf. In 2020, the FDA finally ordered the removal of Zantac from the market after further research revealed that NDMA in Zantac may increase even under normal conditions.
Zantac manufacturers Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., Perrigo Co., Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Inc., and Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories Inc. all contributed to Joseph Bayer’s settlement of over $500,000. The lawsuit claimed that Bayer developed esophageal cancer after taking over-the-counter Zantac. However, Bayer’s attorney stated that he could not continue with his lawsuit due to “personal health reasons.” The attorney notified the judge on August 17, 2022, that Bayer withdrew his case to return to the hospital and resume cancer treatment. Despite this dismissal, attorneys announced that Bayer will have the opportunity to refile his case within a year.
More Zantac Trials in the Near Future
The original developer of Zantac, GSK plc, considered this settlement an achievement for defendants in Zantac lawsuits. In a statement, the company proclaimed that it did not help settle or pay anything towards the voluntary dismissal. Although the company asserts that scientific evidence does not link Zantac to cancer, GSK faces roughly 3,000 lawsuits in state and federal courts. Two state court cases, one in California and the other in Illinois, against GSK are scheduled for February 2023. Furthermore, the first bellwether trial in MDL-2924 will start in the summer of 2023. The judge overseeing the Zantac MDL dismissed all generic drugmakers, which leaves only the brand name Zantac manufacturers GSK, Pfizer, and Boehringer Ingelheim as defendants.