A woman from Pennsylvania alleges serious Nexium side effects on kidneys in a recent product liability claim, which is growing a multidistrict litigation (MDL).

This MDL consists of Nexium lawsuits alleging the proton pump inhibitor (PPI) had caused severe and permanent health problems in the claimants, which AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals allegedly failed to warn about.

Plaintiff Judie A. says she used Nexium for typical treatment purposes between 2012 to 2018 and was not aware she was at risk for any serious health problems during this time.

Nexium and other proton pump inhibitors are medications that work by limiting the amount of digestive fluids secreted in the stomach, which helps treat conditions like acid reflux, heartburn, stomach ulcers, and indigestion.

Proton pump inhibitors are some of the most popular medication groups in the United States, with at least 15 million patients prescribed the treatment drugs.

The total number of users, however, is likely much higher due to the availability of over the counter variants. This makes the alleged severe Nexium side effects on kidneys all the more troubling, with numerous patients alleged suffering permanent and severe health problems due to these medications, like kidney damage and stomach cancer.

Judie is allegedly one of these patients, with her Nexium lawsuit alleging the PPI had caused her to develop acute kidney injury and chronic kidney disease. Judie opted to file legal action against AstraZeneca, after discovering there were at least two significant studies indicating a correlation and one FDA announcement.

Overview of PPI Kidney Damage Correlation

One of the most significant studies indicating a link between proton pump inhibitors and permanent kidney damage comes from the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology. Researchers in the study found that PPI patients faced a 96% increased risk of kidney failure and a 28% increased risk of chronic kidney disease, in comparison to patients who were prescribed histamine H2 receptor blockers.

Another study was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in February 2016, which found a similar association between proton pump inhibitors and chronic kidney disease.

It is important to note that before this study was published, in late 2014, the FDA made its own announcement regarding Nexium side effects on kidneys. More specifically, the FDA stated interstitial nephritis would be added to Nexium warning label, which is a condition known to evolve into kidney failure.

Considering that patients suffering from chronic kidney disease or kidney failure are facing a high likelihood of a shortened lifespan, the FDA made the announcement to the public.

Even though this complication can be devastating to patients, AstraZeneca allegedly failed to disclose this information to the general public. Judie states she would not have used Nexium if she had been aware of the alleged correlation between PPIs and permanent kidney damage.

Judie’s claim is joining MDL No. 2789, where it will be streamlined through the litigation process and avoid potential problems like conflicting rulings from different judges. Judie is seeking multiple damages in her Nexium lawsuit including counts of negligence and failure to warn. Her Nexium Lawsuit is Case No. 2:19-cv-06128-CCC-MF, in the U.S. District Court of New Jersey.