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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, Ranitidine and Prevacid on and off in the last 10 years for acid reflux. My father passed away from Cancer a couple years ago of Esophageal cancer. I am pretty sure that he was alos prescribed one or all of these medications for acid reflux.
My mother has taken the prescription on the advice of the Dr for years. She now has skin cancer around her mouth. I know she would have never taken the meds if she knew this information as she’s had breast cancer.
. It thourghly upsets me that pharmaceutical companies can’t be honest.
I am 65 years old and I have taken Zantac for years for acid reflux and now have been diagnosed with Barrett’s esophagus three years ago. No doctors ever told me not to take Zantac and they knew I was taking it regularly. Barrett’s needs to be closely monitored as it is high risk for cancer.
I had taken zantac for years to treat GERD ,switch to nexium a few years ago …was treated for a form of leukemia.
My partner has taken Zantac on a regular basis for years. He was diagnosed with testicular cancer and has undergone chemotherapy and a very invasive surgery that has resulted in numerous health complications and limitations.
Kidney cancer after taking this during pregnancy.
I am 50 and have taken Zantac for as long as I can remember. I continue to have issues with my stomach.
I would like more information if you can send.
Took Zantac for years for stomach issues. It was the 1st Med recommenced by the pharmacist. Now it could cause more harm than it was helping!!!!!??? Guess I need to go get checked.
I have taken Ranitidine, cimeditine, prevacid, zantac and other prescriptions for stomach problems since I was about 16 years old. I am now 66 years old. I now have Polythysemia Vera ( cancer of blood and bone marrow) cyst in my kidney, fatty liver, COPD, ulcerative colitis, diverticulitis, sugar diabetes and other ailments
I’ve taken Zantac for several years. I’ve lost my left kidney had adrenal cancer colon cancer and now lung cancer
1984 prescribed cimetidine x 2 daily for years – then changed to ranitidine – x 2 daily for years – now suffering with chronic liver disease and seeing specialist – also pernicious anemia – and other “ailments: Used to be healthy – now i am a MESS !
I have taken Zantac prescription strength for about 2 years and then before that was on over the counter strength for about 15 years before that. This makes me nervous about what could happen in my future