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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 Zantac for gastric issues off and on for many years. Between 2005 and 2011 I was prescribed Zantac 150mg for the duration of 3 pregnancies. I have just been through cancer and treatments over the past year, and now I am learning about this situation, and this makes me worry about my children’s cancer risk.
My husband took OTC Zantac for GERD and had a kidney removed due to cancer. Thankfully he has survived but his doctor has him on a different med for GERD now.
I have been diagnosed with bladder cancer and am awaiting surgery for a radical cystectomy. I took Zantac off and on for 20 years.
I was diagnosed back in October 2018 with liver cancer after taking Zantac for 10 years or so after I gave up on Nexium. I would like more information on this subject please.
My husband took Zantac for years to deal with chronic heartburn. He developed non-Hodgkins lymphoma and now we are wondering if this form of cancer is related to Zantac.
Havve been taking zantac and prescribed randitine for many years,im 61 today,but at 56,never have been sick all my life i developed total kidney failure,sists and damage on pancreas,and ceroses of the liver,and let me tell you my quality of life is very seariuosly diminished,thank……. you very much….so what is my suffering worth……
I now have prostate cancer diagnosed about 8 month ago. I took Zantac for 5 years almost every day. I have a couple of gastro-dilations and opted to take this “milder” OTC drug instead of some of the prescription drugs I could have taken because I was worried about long-term side effects. Now I need to have some sort of prostate cancer treatment soon! This is devastating to learn this!
I have taken zenrac 150 with a prescription and otc for close to 30 years now and i was informed i have prostate cancer and waiting for radiation treatment…
I was prescribed this drug when I was pregnant with my 2nd son. It was supposedly safe to take when pregnant. It’s a little on the worrisome side to hear this, as I took it frequently even after my pregnancy, I would always buy it OTC for my heartburn problems.
I have been on Ranitidine 150mg for over 30 years since first being diagnosed with GERD at age 15, I am now 48…..the last 10 years has been increased to 300mg…..I have had Stomach Surgery in April 2016 which Hospital refuses to acknowledge but I do have the records and a certified medical professional witness to that surgery….they have been refusing me proper Cancer Testing and now I know why…how can I join this Lawsuit and even sue the Doctors many recent who refused me medical help?
I started taking zantac 150mg in my late 20’s. I was on this prescribed medication until my late 60’s, which would have been about 3yrs ago, my GP took me of them. She said they were not working for me anymore and put me on Nexium. Since my 50’s I always had my prostate checked, my count was high and at age 62 I had a biopsy done which confirmed I had prostate cancer. In January 2012 I had my prostate removed. I have been cancer free since then.
I’ve been taking over the counter Zantac for over 20 years for severe heartburn. It’s terrible that any issues about taking this drug were not disclosed