Recently, the analytical pharmacy Valisure discovered that its ranitidine medication had been contaminated with the carcinogen n-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA).

According to a press release by the company, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration was first notified of the Valisure NDMA discovery in June 2019. This was followed a few months later with a petition to ask the federal agency to recall all ranitidine-based products—not just in the U.S., but across the globe.

Valisure refers to itself as an “analytical pharmacy.” Its website says that it sells “the same meds that all American pharmacies use, but first put the batches through rigorous chemical analysis so the bad batches are screened out” and that it is the “only pharmacy to do this.”

Valisure was not the only group to find NDMA in ranitidine, the company’s website notes. Researchers at Stanford University and elsewhere have also found that NDMA contamination in ranitidine was due to the “inherent instability” of the ranitidine molecule itself.

The CEO of Valisure, David Light, said on a segment with NPR that they had found “dramatically high amounts of NDMA.” Indeed, the issue seemed to be not that NDMA had somehow contaminated a small amount of ranitidine, but that ranitidine itself was able to degrade into NDMA on its own either in its tablet form or once it had entered the human body, Light said.

The FDA considers the amount of NDMA found in ranitidine to be at low levels, barely more than what is found in common foods, according to its own testing.

Light believes that this discrepancy between the FDA’s findings and Valisure’s was due to testing conditions. Plus, Light noted of the Valisure NDMA discovery and why they had petitioned for the widespread recall: “There’s no acceptable cancer risk for a drug like this.”

Basics of Ranitidine

Ranitidine, the generic name of the heartburn drug Zantac, is used to reduce the amount of acid produced by the stomach. It is often prescribed to treat stomach acid-related symptoms, including Zollinger-Ellison syndrome, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and others.

The Ranitidine Recall

The FDA issued a public statement on Sept. 13, 2019, warning patients and healthcare professionals about the Valisure NDMA discovery in ranitidine samples, and noting that it had recommended numerous recalls. Major pharmaceutical companies issued voluntary recalls of ranitidine products following the FDA announcement, including Sanofi, Perrigo, and Dr. Reddy’s.

Filing a Ranitidine Lawsuit

If you or someone you love has suffered from side effects after taking ranitidine products that may have been contaminated with NDMA, you may be able to file a lawsuit and pursue compensation. Of course, filing a lawsuit cannot undo the pain and suffering caused by cancer or other health complications, but it can at least help to alleviate the financial burden incurred by medical expenses, lost wages, and more.

Filing a lawsuit can be a daunting prospect, so Top Class Actions has laid the groundwork for you by connecting you with an experienced attorney. Consulting an attorney can help you determine if you have a claim, navigate the complexities of litigation, and maximize your potential compensation.