Thu Sep 19 05:19:14 UTC 2024: ## Zantac Cancer Trial Ends in Hung Jury, Case to Go to Trial Again
A Chicago jury failed to reach a verdict in the latest trial over claims that the discontinued heartburn drug Zantac causes cancer. The trial, which centered around an Illinois man, Ronald Kimbrow, who claims he developed prostate cancer after taking Zantac, ended in a hung jury on Wednesday. This marks the second time a jury has been unable to reach a verdict in the ongoing wave of litigation against Zantac.
Kimbrow’s lawyer, Eric Olson, stated that the case will be retried, emphasizing Boehringer Ingelheim’s repeated failure to convince a jury of Zantac’s safety. Boehringer Ingelheim, the only remaining defendant after Kimbrow settled with other manufacturers including GSK and Pfizer, has yet to comment.
The case stems from the FDA’s 2020 decision to pull Zantac from the market due to concerns that its active ingredient, ranitidine, could degrade into a carcinogenic substance called NDMA. Thousands of lawsuits alleging a link between Zantac and cancer have followed, with a mixed record of success for plaintiffs.
While a federal judge in Florida rejected expert witness testimony for thousands of Zantac cases in 2022, potentially halting those lawsuits, plaintiffs are appealing the decision.
The ongoing legal battle over Zantac continues to unfold as other manufacturers reach settlements. Sanofi has agreed to settle 4,000 cases, while Pfizer has reportedly settled over 10,000. The outcome of this case and future trials will have significant implications for the ongoing litigation and the potential for future settlements.
First Piper 