In the last few months, there’s been a lot of talk about Ranitidine products, specifically Zantac. But how serious are these products, and what should consumers know? It’s no secret anymore that Big Pharma companies aim to keep their consumers, doctors, and medical networks, in the dark and the general public completely out of the picture. So it’s upsetting but unsurprising that after decades of being on the market, Ranitidine is disappearing.
Ranitidine was initially discovered for medicinal use in 1976 in England. Then, GlaxoSmithKline (formerly Glaxo Holdings LTD) received approval to distribute the drug known as Zantac in 1983. Within five years it became the world’s best-selling drug and was no longer used for short-term ulcer treatment but instead, heartburn.
How did this drug last on the market for so long, with so many issues? It’s pretty simple, there was a small report rate, and GlaxoSmithKline as well as Sanofi simply denied the possibility of a link between cancer and Zantac.
NDMA Impurities May Link to Cancer Development
Way back in July 2018, both American and European regulators worked together and found that a common blood pressure medication was causing cancer.
That blood pressure medication was Valsartan, it was commonly prescribed and made in China at Zhejiang Huahai Pharmaceuticals. The drug itself wasn’t the problem, but it’s ingredient Ranitidine contained an impurity called N-nitrosodimethylamine. N-nitrosodimethylamine or, NDMA, is a known carcinogen.
Ranitidine develops NDMA as part of standard processing, which means it’s impossible for pharmaceutical manufacturers to use Ranitidine without producing NDMA.
Why Was Only Zantac Recalled?
Zantac first hit pharmacy shelves as an over-the-counter option for consumers back in 1995. the result since then was a drastic change in consumer language. Similar to how people use the term “Xerox” to refer to making copies rather than the company, people used “Zantac” to refer to nearly any Ranitidine medication. It’s very common among pharmaceuticals for consumers to simply refer to the brand name they know even when using a generic alternative.
So what did the U.S. FDA actually recall? The FDA recalled all Ranitidine products. However, many consumers noticed quickly that it was only Zantac that disappeared from the shelves. Generic alternatives are now under investigation with the U.S. Department of Justice because of the failure to acknowledge the recall.
It was not just Zantac that was recalled, however Sanofi determined that they would continue to produce and distribute their generic version. Other companies followed suit and continued to make generic Ranitidine products available as well.
Finding Support After Exchanging Heartburn for Cancer Development
The United States Food and Drug Administration has acknowledged that it may consider allowing Ranitidine products to be available in the future if any company can show that the NMDA levels don’t increase over time and that they are safe. That’s a big order to fill considering that NMDA levels continue to increase over time and when exposed to room temperature.
In short, NMDA levels increase at room temperature, when exposed to light, when exposed to heat, and when an oral or liquid forms. Drug manufacturers simply can’t expect printing a note on their label for consumers to keep a pill in the refrigerator to be effective.
So if you’re looking for support after you’ve swapped out Zantac and found out that you’ve developed cancer because of it then you need an attorney. Zantac, and its manufacturer, have proven that they will fight tooth and nail against lawsuits.
Rueb Stoller Daniel Helps Victims of Zantac
Zantac, and all Ranitidine generic products pose a serious health risk to consistent users. If you, or someone you know, used Zantac regularly over the course of even a few months and then developed cancer, it might tie to NDMA. NDMA is the primary, known, carcinogen in Zantac and its presence in Zantac and all generic alternatives has shown that there’s a clear connection between Ranitidine products and cancer.
Did you receive a cancer diagnosis? It is likely that an external element, such as a simple over-the-counter heartburn medication, was the cause. Esophageal and stomach cancer are among the most common, and people all across the world are launching lawsuits against Sanofi and GlaxoSmithKline for their Ranitidine products.
Both manufacturers and other generic manufacturers in North America failed to acknowledge the potential dangers of cancer development. The result is that many people have gone through extreme surgeries and rigorous cancer treatments to fight for their lives. Hold these manufacturers accountable with Rueb Stoller Daniel.
