A Texas woman recently added to the growing pile of litigation filed over PPI drugs, alleging that pharmaceutical companies failed to warn about the link between PPI and kidney disease.

The plaintiff, Anita O., alleges that she began treatment with PPI drugs in 2009, and continued this use through 2015. The specific PPI drugs she was prescribed are Nexium and Dexilant. However, Anita alleges, she later began suffering from chronic kidney disease.

She claims that the manufacturers of these drugs—AstraZeneca, Takeda, and Merck—were aware of the risk associated with PPI and chronic kidney disease, but failed to warn the medical community and patients like Anita of the risk.

Anita filed her PPI and kidney disease lawsuit on Oct. 4, 2018, in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey. Her lawsuit includes a number of counts, including design defect, failure to warn, negligence, breach of express and implied warranties and several others, along with a count of state law violations.

Anita’s lawsuit joins the slew of lawsuits filed over PPI and kidney disease side effects. If you or a loved one have suffered because of the PPI and kidney disease link, you may be able to file a lawsuit and pursue compensation.

Basics of PPI Drugs

Proton pump inhibitors—commonly referred to as PPI medications—are widely used across the U.S. to treat heartburn problems. Millions of Americans are prescribed PPI drugs every year, including the popular drug Nexium.

Nexium (generic name esomeprazole magnesium) is manufactured by AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals. Nexium and other proton pump inhibitors work to treat heartburn by reducing the amount of gastric acid in a patient’s stomach. Along with Nexium, Prilosec and Prevacid are also popular PPI drug options.

Despite the widespread use of PPI drugs like Nexium, these medications have been connected with some serious health complications and side effects that can have long-term or even permanent consequences. Indeed, researchers have reported a link between PPI and kidney disease.

Some patients, like Anita, allege that the drugs’ manufacturers had been aware of the link between PPI and kidney disease, but failed to warn patients and the medical community about this risk.

PPI and Kidney Disease Risk

Unfortunately, Nexium and other PPI drugs have been linked with kidney disease and cancer.  For some, PPI and kidney disease risk can be alleviated by being taken off the medication. For others, the effects of PPI and chronic kidney disease may be permanent in nature.

Filing a Lawsuit Over PPI and Kidney Disease

If you or a loved one has suffered from PPI and chronic kidney disease or other side effects of these heartburn drugs, you may be able to file a lawsuit and pursue compensation. While filing a lawsuit can’t undo the pain and suffering caused by PPI and kidney disease, or bring a loved one back to life, it can help to alleviate the financial costs incurred by medical expenses, lost wages, and more.

The PPI and Kidney Disease Risk Lawsuit is Case No. 2:18-cv-14640-CCC-MF, in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey.