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A Vancouver man has filed a Zantac cancer class action lawsuit alleging some ranitidine-containing medications sold in Canada contain a potentially cancer-causing impurity.
Ranitidine is the active ingredient in medications that treat stomach problems, ulcers, heartburn, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
In Canada, ranitidine is sold under the brand name Zantac, though generic versions of the drug are also available. It is sold as an over-the-counter drug or by prescription.
In September 2019, Health Canada announced that it was investigating a potential N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) impurity in some ranitidine drugs.
Shortly after this announcement, several drug manufacturers issued recalls of ranitidine medications due to the presence of NDMA. These drug manufacturers, which are named as defendants in the Zantac class action lawsuit, include Sandoz Canada Inc., Apotex Inc., Pro Doc Limitée, Sanis Health Inc., and Sivem Pharmaceuticals ULC.
Plaintiff Gary Dussiaume says he had a prescription for ranitidine and took the medication from 2018 until Sept. 26, 2019 when his family doctor reportedly switched his medication. He had previously taken prescription and over-the-counter ranitidine medication on and off for a number of years, the Zantac cancer class action lawsuit states.
The plaintiff notes that NDMA was not listed as a component of the ranitidine medication and cancer was not mentioned as a potential risk to consumers. Now Dussiaume says he’s experiencing prolonged and serious mental distress along with an increased risk of developing cancer due to potential long-term exposure to NDMA.
Dussiaume would not have ingested the ranitidine medication if he had known that he would also be consuming carcinogens, according to the Zantac cancer class action lawsuit.
He filed the Zantac class action lawsuit on behalf of himself and a proposed Class of Canadians who ingested, purchased, and/or were prescribed ranitidine that was contaminated with NDMA.
More than a dozen companies, including manufacturers, merchants and distributors of ranitidine-containing medications are named as defendants in the Zantac cancer class action lawsuit.
Dussiaume accuses the defendants of putting the ranitidine medications on the market even though they should have known that the drugs posed an unreasonable risk of harming consumers.
The defendants also failed to issue a timely recall of the affected drugs when they knew about the potential Zantac cancer risks, Dussiaume alleges. He suggests the companies failed to implement appropriate quality control testing to ensure the medication was safe for consumption.
The Zantac class action lawsuit asserts claims for negligence, failure to warn, unjust enrichment, waiver of tort, battery, and other violations of Canada law.
A similar Zantac cancer class action lawsuit was filed last month in Quebec.
Canada is not the only country that’s faced with NDMA-contaminated Zantac. Several Zantac recalls have been issued in the United States over concerns of NDMA contamination and consumers are filing Zantac cancer lawsuits against the drug manufacturers and distributors. Plaintiffs are alleging they developed stomach cancer or bladder cancer after ingesting Zantac.
Have you taken Zantac over the years? Let us know in the comments below.
Dussiaume is represented by Charney Lawyers PC and Rice Harbut Elliott LLP.
The Canadian Zantac Cancer Class Action Lawsuit is Gary Dussiaume v. Sandoz Canada Inc., et al., Case No. S1911469, in the Supreme Court of British Columbia, Canada.
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109 thoughts onCanadian Files Zantac Class Action Alleging Cancer Risk
I have taken Prescription and over the counter zantac for year and just recently had surgery to remove a cancerous tumour from my bladder
I have been taking over the counter Zantac for around 20 year now, and in combination with Prescription Acid Reflux medications for probably close to 10 years, after reading some of the responses here I am concerned, particularly since I have had some stomach/bowel issues since February including blood in my urine, that was written off as a virus.
I was prescribed zantac for years aand developed kidney cancer in 2019. One kidney removex.
I have been taking Ranitidine/ Zantac for approximately 26 years. I only found out from my pharmacy 2 weeks ago that it has been pulled off of the shelf.
I’ve been prescribed monthly for all of the past 26 years.
I have been facing larynx cancer – my cells have changed and i have rapidly declined in health with a lot of undiagnosed ailments.
I suffer from heart disease, kidney disease and many more disorders.
Oddly enough, I’m now on Tecta T ……
I would really appreciate speaking to someone regarding the lawsuit. I have many polyps that have been removed and several that are widespread throughout my body.
I found that Ranitidine would cause me such attacks that I would end up in the hospital to receive morphine or shots of Demerol for the horrific pain. Then prescribed more .
This is incredible information that may be extremely helpful to my health.
I have been told by midwife in 2019 to take it basically unlimited for severe heartburn during my pregnancy. So i did take it a lot when was pregnant 🙁
I was taking Ranitidine for years and ended up getting testicular cancer and almost died from radiation treatments..i am wondering if im eligible to participate in this law suit?
I had been consuming Zantac prior yo bring diagnosed and treated for Bladder Cancer a number of years ago. How can I proceed with connecting to this class action suit legal representatives.
Wow… I am truly freaking out. I have been on Ranitidine for years!!! I had kidney cancer 2013 and now Still being on this drug and not ever even hearing of this recall or warning… I am having a panic attack!!! I have severe anxiety and am freaking out! I cannot go through cancer again!!!!!
I was prescribed Zantac for over 10 years, and was buying them off the selves when they became available at 150 strength. I was operated on nine months ago for stage III Colorectal cancer. Saw an ad while on vacation last week in the Dominican Republic stating it could cause my kind of cancer. Shocker, as I was never told or asked if I took this medication.
Took it off and on for years then took it for probably about 6 months cause I could not afford over the counter medication at the time. Not sure if it’s linked but after that period of time I developed testicular cancer that also moved to my lymph nodes. Could this be connected?