Over-the-counter Zantac (Ranitidine) is already one of the largest-selling antacids in the United States.<\/p>\n
Annual revenue exceeds $125 million. That market share was expected to triple by 2026.<\/p>\n
Then, the Food and Drug Administration found a dangerously-high level of a cancer-causing compound in Zantac.<\/p>\n
The watchdog then ordered\u00a0Sanofi<\/a>\u00a0to stop selling the drug in New York. Now, it faces an uncertain financial future.<\/p>\n NDMA exposure victims face uncertain futures as well. If that future includes cancer or another serious chronic condition, these victims can count on\u00a0Napoli Shkolnik<\/a>\u00a0to fight for them.<\/p>\n Our tenacious attorneys hold companies like Sanofi responsible when they recklessly endanger the lives of consumers.<\/p>\n That responsibility includes compensation for economic losses, such as medical bills, and noneconomic losses, such as pain and suffering.<\/p>\n Additional punitive damages might be available as well.<\/p>\n Regulators approved this drug in 1983 as a treatment for ulcers. By 1988, Zantac was one of the best-selling drugs in history.<\/p>\n It was one of the first pharmaceutical products to eclipse $1 billion in sales.<\/p>\n The drug patent expired in 1997, so cheaper generics became available.<\/p>\n So, the company needed a new strategy.<\/p>\n In 2004, an over-the-counter Zantac appeared on store shelves nationwide.<\/p>\n Today, people use Zantac to address a wide range of digestive problems, such as ulcers and heartburn.<\/p>\n So, these people are already vulnerable to NDMA poisoning. As outlined below, this chemical has been linked to cancer in the digestive tract.<\/p>\n NDMA, which is also known as dimethylnitrosamine (DMN), is a highly-toxic chemical commonly found in a number of everyday products.<\/p>\n NDMA is often a by-product of certain manufacturing techniques. It\u2019s also found naturally in the environment and in the human body, if certain alkylamines react with each other in certain ways.<\/p>\n N-Nitrosodimethylamine is usually not harmful if the concentration is under ten nanograms per liter, or .33 parts per million.<\/p>\n Minute levels of NDMA are usually in drinking water, because of chlorination. Small NDMA levels are also present in many cured meats and in tobacco smoke, largely as a manufacturing by-product.<\/p>\n In July 2018, American and European regulators found unacceptably-high NDMA levels in valsartan, a blood pressure drug made in China that\u2019s chemically similar to ranitidine.<\/p>\n Subsequent Zantac tests confirmed regulators\u2019 worst fears, and a recall announcement followed.<\/p>\n Individuals who have taken Zantac are at increased risk for the following cancers<\/strong>:<\/p>\n The good news for NDMA-related cancer victims is that this disease\u2019s survival rates have increased significantly since the 1990s.<\/p>\n Currently, many doctors foresee a day when cancer might be like diabetes or heart disease.<\/p>\n The bad news is that effective cancer treatments are extremely costly. And, many health insurance companies refuse to cover injury-related costs.<\/p>\n So, at Napoli Law, we connect victims with doctors who often charge nothing upfront. Unlike the executives at Sanofi, our first priority is your health.<\/p>\n Under New York law, manufacturers are strictly liable for the injuries their defective products cause.<\/p>\n That defect could be a design defect of a manufacturing defect.<\/p>\n NDMA in Zantac is an example of a manufacturing defect. The company did not intentionally embed a carcinogen in its heartburn tablets.<\/p>\n But in this context, intent is irrelevant. Other examples of some manufacturing defects include\u00a0asbestos-laced talcum powder<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0dangerous Takata airbags<\/a>.<\/p>\n Frequently, manufacturers look to cut corners and save money as much as possible. Therefore, quality control practices during manufacturing are often suspect.<\/p>\n As a result, asbestos particles find their way into talcum powder, unstable explosives are used in airbags, and tiny amounts of NDMA seep into Zantac.<\/p>\n Legally, the manufacturer is responsible for all product defects which occur while the product is under the manufacturer\u2019s control.<\/p>\n That includes not only the manufacturing process, but also the delivery and shipping processes.<\/p>\n These cases are complex.<\/p>\n Victim\/plaintiffs usually present expert testimony that the drug or device was dangerous, and the manufacturer counters with evidence that the product is safe. So, any edge is important.<\/p>\n Experienced Napoli Shkolnik attorneys do not have to look very far to find such an edge.<\/p>\n Typically, claims like these go to Multidistrict Litigation sites. To many lawyers, MDL is a major problem.<\/p>\n These attorneys often lack the resources to deal with large-scale cases like these. But the Napoli Law team knows how to leverage MDL to benefit victims.<\/p>\n Cases are consolidated for pretrial purposes. So, manufacturers cannot use razzle-dazzle to convince judges to dismiss meritorious cases.<\/p>\n Furthermore, once one case settles, that settlement creates momentum in other settlement negotiations.<\/p>\n Through the whole process, different plaintiffs from different states can pool their resources.<\/p>\nZANTAC USES<\/b><\/h2>\n
RANITIDINE AND N-NITROSODIMETHYLAMINE<\/b><\/h2>\n
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LEGAL ISSUES<\/b><\/h2>\n
PROCEDURAL MATTERS<\/b><\/h2>\n