A recent product liability lawsuit has been filed against Takeda Pharmaceuticals, makers of the heartburn medication Prevacid, with allegations that the medication caused personal injury.

Plaintiff Danny D. filed his Prevacid side effects lawsuit in Arizona federal court alleging he suffered kidney disease and other kidney injuries after taking the popular proton pump inhibitor (PPI) medication. His lawsuit joins a number of others currently pending in the court system.

In his Prevacid side effects lawsuit, Danny states that he took the medication from May 2005 through May 2012. He states that he now suffers from renal disease and other kidney problems because of his use of the medication.

Danny claims that Takeda Pharmaceuticals failed to warn patients and physicians in the medical community about the serious risks of kidney injuries that may result from Prevacid side effects, according to his lawsuit.

Recent scientific studies published within the last year have indicated that users of popular PPI drugs like Prevacid, Prilosec and Nexium are at an increased risk for developing acute kidney injury, acute interstitial nephritis, chronic kidney disease as well as end-stage kidney failure after using the medications long term.

PPI medications like Prevacid, Prilosec and Nexium are some of the most commonly used drugs in the country and generate billions of dollars of revenue for their respective drug manufacturers each year. Because these drugs are offered over the counter, many individuals taking the drugs believe them to be safe. However, as mentioned, recent research is demonstrating that this may not be the case.

Back in December 2014, the warning levels labels on PPI medications were updated to include information stating that kidney issues, including acute interstitial nephritis, were a potential risk for users of the drugs.

Then, in April 2015, a medical research study published in CMAJ Open revealed that Prilosec and Prevacid side effects, along with side effects of other PPIs, included a three times higher risk of developing acute interstitial nephritis. Additionally, the drugs were also linked with a 2.5 times higher risk of acute kidney injury associated with an abrupt loss of functioning of the organ.

Other recent studies found higher risks of chronic kidney disease in PPI users, as well as kidney failure.

In his Prevacid side effects lawsuit, Danny claims that the manufacturer has violated Arizona protection consumer protection laws and trade practices law in Arizona. He also raises claims of negligence, product liability, failure to warn, fraudulent misrepresentation and breach of warranty.

Danny’s Prevacid side effects lawsuit joins dozens of other lawsuits against the makers of PPI medications that have been filed nationwide in the federal court system.

Due to the large number of product liability lawsuits against the manufactures of PPI medications, a motion has been filed with the US Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation (JPML) in order to consolidate pending lawsuits before a single judge. This will assist in coordination of pretrial proceedings, reduce duplicate discovery and avoid potentially conflicting rulings in the trials.

The Prevacid Side Effects Lawsuit is Case No. 2:16-cv-04485-SPL, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona.