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A Delaware judge has allowed more than 70,000 lawsuits regarding the discontinued heartburn drug Zantac to move forward. This decision, made by Judge Vivian Medinilla of the Delaware Superior Court in Wilmington, permits expert witnesses to testify that the drug may cause cancer.

Judge's Ruling a Setback for Drugmakers

The ruling is a significant setback for former Zantac manufacturers GSK, Pfizer, Sanofi, and Boehringer Ingelheim. These companies had argued that the expert witnesses' opinions lacked scientific support. However, Judge Medinilla stated that the validity of each side's scientific arguments should be determined by juries.

Brent Wisner, a lead lawyer for the plaintiffs, expressed satisfaction with the decision, stating, "This moves us one step closer to justice for our clients."

Delaware judge lets more than 70,000 Zantac lawsuits go forward :  Drugmakers Plan to Appeal

GSK, Pfizer, and Sanofi have all expressed their intention to appeal the decision, maintaining that there is no reliable evidence linking Zantac to cancer. A spokesperson for Boehringer Ingelheim did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Background on Zantac Controversy

In 2019, sales of Zantac were halted after the detection of NDMA, a known carcinogen, in some pills. Tests revealed that Zantac's active ingredient, ranitidine, could degrade into NDMA over time or when exposed to heat. This led to numerous lawsuits from individuals who claimed to have developed cancer after using Zantac. Plaintiffs argue that the companies knew or should have known about the cancer risk and failed to warn consumers.

In 2020, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) asked manufacturers to remove Zantac from the market. The drugmakers have consistently maintained that there is no evidence Zantac exposed users to harmful levels of NDMA.

Scope of Pending Litigation

Judge Medinilla is overseeing the majority of nearly 80,000 cases pending in the United States. In addition to the Delaware cases, approximately 4,000 claims are pending in California state court, with another 2,000 in various state courts nationwide.

Delaware judge lets more than 70,000 Zantac lawsuits go forward : Previous Legal Outcomes

The legal landscape for Zantac litigation has been mixed. Last month, a jury in Chicago ruled in favor of GSK and Boehringer Ingelheim, rejecting an Illinois woman's claim that Zantac caused her colon cancer. In 2022, another judge dismissed around 50,000 lawsuits consolidated in federal court in Florida, ruling that the plaintiffs' expert witnesses did not provide sound scientific support for their claims. Plaintiffs are appealing that decision, which involves different experts from those in the Delaware case.

Originally introduced in 1988 and marketed by a predecessor of GSK, Zantac became one of the first drugs to achieve over $1 billion in annual sales. It was subsequently sold to Pfizer, Boehringer Ingelheim, and finally Sanofi.