The Food and Drug Administration put out a press release on April 1, 2020, which asked the manufacturers of Zantac/Ranitidine to immediately withdraw all Zantac and generic Zantac drugs from the market. The Food and Drug Administration joined with the World Health Organization and the Environmental Protection Agency to classify NDMA as a cancer-causing substance.
What is Ranitidine?
Ranitidine is generally sold under the brand name of Zantac. It’s a generic drug that’s manufactured by a wide variety of drug companies to decrease the production of stomach acid.
Ranitidine is used to treat such things as gastroesophageal reflux disease, heartburn, Zollinger-Ellison syndrome, and peptic ulcer disease. Ranitidine is part of a class of drugs called histamine-2 receptor blockers, more commonly referred to as H2 blockers.
It works by inhibiting histamine action at your H2 receptors in the gastric parietal cells and is normally ingested by mouth in a capsule, liquid, or pill before your first and/or last meal of the day. No prescription is required, and it was sold as an over-the-counter medication.
What Do People Use Ranitidine For?
Because Ranitidine is used to reduce stomach acid production, it treats, prevents, or relieves symptoms caused by the following:
- Duodenal Ulcers
- Erosive Esophagitis
- Gastric Ulcers
- Heartburn
- Postoperative Ulcers
- Stress-Induced Ulcers
- Ulceration – when it is combined with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
- Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding
Additionally, Ranitidine is also available as a syrup for babies whose lower esophageal sphincter has not fully developed. In these types of cases, the baby’s stomach acid may flow into the baby’s esophagus causing them to suffer from acid reflux, ulcers, and sores. Babies and children shouldn’t be given over-the-counter Ranitidine.
Are There Precautions Associated With Ranitidine?
Yes, Ranitidine can be absorbed into breast milk, and women who are nursing should only take Ranitidine on the advice of their physicians, and extreme caution should be followed.
Additionally, any medication that decreases your stomach acid production may have been linked to you have an increased risk of acute gastroenteritis and community-acquired pneumonia in children.
The use of Ranitidine may also serve to mask symptoms of stomach cancer, and if you have a liver or kidney impairment, you should use extreme caution when taking Ranitidine.
Does Ranitidine Have Side Effects?
Yes. In adults, some of the most common side effects of taking Ranitidine include but aren’t limited to:
- Atrioventricular Block
- Blurred Vision
- Bradycardia
- Cholestatic Hepatitis
- Constipation
- Dizziness
- Extreme Fatigue
- Headaches
- Hepatitis
- Infection
- Infectious Diarrhea
- Insomnia
- Jaundice
- Liver Failure
- Pneumonia
- Premature Ventricular Beats
- Rashes
- Tachycardia
- Thrombocytopenia
- Unusual Bruising/Bleeding
- Vertigo
- Vitamin B12 Deficiency
Additionally, in elderly patients who are extremely sick, the side effects can include:
- Agitation
- Depression
- Hallucinations
- Mental Confusion
In children, the side effects may include:
- Constipation
- Diarrhea
- Headache
- Nausea
- Rashes
- Vomiting
Can Ranitidine Cause Cancer?
The Food and Drug Administration first approved Zantac in the 1980s. Since then, many studies have shown that there’s a link between Ranitidine and cancer. One study showed that Ranitidine forms N-Nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) when it’s put in drinking water.
NDMA is an organic chemical that is semi-volatile. It is part of a family of chemicals known as N-nitrosamines. Which, according to the EPA, are part of a family of “potent carcinogens.”
In 2004, the researchers at the National Cancer Institute discovered a link between Ranitidine and bladder cancer. The study said that “N-nitrosamines are known carcinogens, and nitrate ingestion has been related to bladder cancer risk.”
Another study published in the journal, Carcinogenesis, said that someone who consumes Ranitidine has a 400-times greater increase of NDMA concentration in their urine.
South Carolina Zantac Lawyers
The Zantac cancer attorneys at Jeffcoat Injury and Car Accident Lawyers have the right experience to aggressively fight against pharmaceutical companies that manufacture and market drugs that aren’t safe. We use our resources and our experience to investigate your Ranitidine cancer claims and, if necessary, will file your Ranitidine lawsuit.
Jeffcoat Injury and Car Accident Lawyers is accepting generic Zantac and Zantac cases in South Carolina and offers a free consultation. We will evaluate your individual case and advise you of the steps we can take to help you protect your rights.
