Florida Zantac Cancer Lawyer

Florida Zantac Cancer Attorney

Though we are fortunate enough to live in a country where we have various forms of medication available to treat our illnesses when we need them. However, there are times where medications are extremely dangerous, even after having been approved by the FDA. Zantac is one of those medications. Though Florida Zantac cancer lawsuits are still in the early stages and no Zantac cancer settlements have been made public, our firm is actively accepting these cases to help victims recover the compensation they require to heal. If you believe that you have incurred significant damages as a result of using Zantac to treat heartburn, acid reflux, or peptic ulcers, contact a Florida Zantac cancer lawyer at the The Frank Santini Law Firm, located in Tampa, today.

How is Zantac Supposed to Work?

Zantac, or ranitidine, helps relieve heartburn because it is an “H2 blocker,” also called an “H2 antagonist.” These terms mean Zantac lessens stomach acid by stopping histamine receptors in patients’ digestive systems.

How Does Zantac Cause Cancer?

Zantac (ranitidine) has been linked to cancer because it may increase the amount of Nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) in patients. NDMA is a chemical compound that has been designated as likely to cause cancer in people according to the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC).

Essentially, the science tells us that Zantac/ranitidine hits your stomach, and as your stomach begins to digest it, a chemical reaction occurs, forming this cancer-causing NDMA from molecules in the Zantac/ranitidine. Further scientific studies show that ranitidine (Zantac) creates even more NDMA if the patient had recently eaten meat or other foods containing nitrites, such as hot dogs or bacon. To be clear, the scientific community is not entirely in agreement, but the evidence of a link between Zantac (ranitidine) and cancer appears persuasive.

What Types of Cancer Does Zantac Cause?

Tragically, there are many cancers that can be caused by NDMA, which means there are likely many cancers that will be linked to innocent patients taking Zantac and/or ranitidine. Some of these cancers are as follows:

• Colon cancer from ranitidine
• Stomach cancer from Zantac syrup
• Rectal cancer
• Colorectal cancer from taking Zantac
• Liver cancer from taking Zantac
• Intestine cancer
• Small intestine cancer
• Esophageal cancer and Zantac
• Gastric cancer
• Brain cancer

While not as common, some of the following types of cancer are occasionally linked to NDMA:

• Leukemia
• Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma
• Prostate
• Pancreatic
• Multiple Myeloma
• Brain Cancer
• Testicular Cancer

You may have heard that the pharmaceutical companies responsible for bringing the public Zantac and ranitidine have already begun recalling these drugs. For instance, in October, pharmaceutical companies GlaxoSmithKline and Sanofi recalled Zantac products, including prescription and over-the-counter Zantac pills, as well as Zantac injections and Zantac syrup. The FDA is also involved, and while their approach has been cautious, they did issue a warning in September 2019 about Zantac being polluted with cancer-causing NDMA. Zantac cancer lawsuits in Florida and throughout the United States have been filed as a result of the recall and the independent scientific studies showing the connection of Zantac to stomach cancer and other types of cancer.

Do I Have a Zantac Cancer Lawsuit?

If you are reading this article because you or a loved one received a cancer diagnosis from Zantac, you must speak with a Florida Zantac cancer lawyer immediately. The first question our Zantac cancer lawyer will ask you is, “how long did you regularly use ranitidine (Zantac)?” If you used Zantac or ranitidine for a year, that is usually enough to prove consistent use, but you may prove consistent use even if you used Zantac (ranitidine) for less than a year.

Our Florida Zantac cancer lawyer will also need to know how much time has passed since you started taking the Zantac or ranitidine before you were diagnosed with cancer. There is a latency period to cancers, so if a hypothetical patient started using Zantac or ranitidine and was diagnosed with colon cancer a week after first taking Zantac, it would be difficult to prove the colorectal cancer was caused by the Zantac. On the other hand, if a patient was regularly taking high doses of Zantac for a year, and then one year after the patient stopped taking Zantac, he or she was diagnosed with liver cancer, there may be a connection between the liver cancer and the Zantac.

Now you may ask yourself, how can I prove I was taking Zantac? Proving our clients took a dangerous drug like Zantac is actually pretty straightforward, as patients’ medical records will show prescriptions. Even if our clients took over-the-counter Zantac or ranitidine, proof can typically be shown from receipts, doctors’ notes, and other sources.

Clients also ask: How can you prove my cancer was from Zantac? Proving where cancer comes from is always difficult, but remember, in civil trials in Florida and throughout the United States, the goal is not to prove beyond a reasonable doubt, but instead to prove “more likely than not” that the cancer was caused by ranitidine (Zantac). Each case involving allegations of cancer-causing drugs is different, and each case requires in-depth medical analysis. These questions are resolved through a hard examination of each individual’s medical records in combination with the most up-to-date research on this subject. Keep in mind that NDMA is so dangerous that scientists actually use NDMA to try to cause cancer in lab animals for various cancer research studies.

Contact Our Florida Zantac Cancer Lawyer

Here at The Frank Santini Law Firm, we offer free Zantac cancer lawsuit consultations. Whether you took Zantac or generic ranitidine, you can schedule a free ranitidine cancer lawsuit consultation with our firm. We know if you or a loved one is dealing with cancer, this is a horribly difficult time. We are cognizant of this and want you to focus on healing while we focus on attaining justice. If you or someone you know has been diagnosed with cancer after using Zantac, contact a Florida Zantac cancer lawyer at The Frank Santini Law Firm. We are on standby 24/7 to discuss your case. Call us today for a free consultation at (813) 445-6121.