Thousands of lawsuits have been filed over proton pump inhibitors (PPI). Prilosec is a PPI. Others include Nexium, Prevacid, and Protonix. Many people are taking legal action to hold the manufacturers of these drugs responsible for the illnesses they say they suffered as a result of using these drugs.
If you suffered kidney disease after using Prilosec, what you’ve been through is not fair or right. You have options when it comes to reclaiming what was taken from you. Join the Many is working to support victims in your situation, educating them on how to take action and benefit. We can make it easier than you may think it is to hold these giant companies accountable.
Why Are People Filing Prilosec Lawsuits?
Prilosec is a medication that many people take for GERD and other gastro-related illnesses that involve the overproduction of stomach acid. Many people use these products, including versions that are over-the-counter. Those who are filing a lawsuit against Prilosec state that they suffered adverse health risks from using the products. This includes the onset of kidney injury, kidney disease, acute interstitial nephritis, or kidney failure. These conditions can be life threatening.
How Is Prilosec Linked to Kidney Disease?
Prilosec is a medication that, according to the National Library of Medicine, is designed to be safe to use for the treatment of GERD. PPI medications are designed to reduce the amount of acid produced by the stomach naturally. The drug is not new, having been produced by AstraZeneca since 1979. Some people also use this drug as a treatment for heartburn.
Some studies have been found that indicate the use of these drugs could put a person at a higher risk of kidney damage or illness. In a study published by the National Center for Biotechnology Information, a study shows that these drugs, which were thought to be safe, can have adverse health outcomes related to the kidneys in many people.
The study found that those who purchased and used these products, including over the counter versions, were at an increased risk of early death as a result of the development of chronic kidney disease.
Though there is still research being done to better understand the relationship between the medication and kidney disease, the study indicates that many people used these products without first seeking medical advice from their doctors because they were readily available without a prescription. Some people used the products for much longer than recommended, and others used them for off-label use.
Studies have become available that have linked the use of PPI with the development of chronic kidney disease. According to one study published by the National Library of Medicine, the ongoing use of these drugs has been linked to malabsorption of calcium and magnesium, as well as Vitamin B12 deficiencies. This could be one of the factors that leads to the development of kidney damage and, ultimately, kidney failure in many people. During this research, a full 10,000 patients were studied, and half of them were given PPI medications such as Prilosec, and half were not. At the end of the test period, those that were taking this medication were at a 20 to 50 percent higher chance of developing kidney damage and chronic kidney disease than those people who did not take PPIs like this.
There is still a significant amount of uncertainty about what the direct link between the medications and kidney damage is, but it seems to point to the fact that this medication taxes the kidneys so much that it causes damage that is hard to reverse.
Lawsuit History of Prilosec
Many people have come forward with this type of damage to their kidneys in the hopes of seeking financial restitution for the medical bills and even loss of quality of life they’ve suffered. These lawsuits are focused on the fact that the manufacturer of the product is believed to have failed to disclose the risk of taking the medication for too long or taking the medication otherwise improperly, and therefore exposed users to a higher risk of illness when they believed the product was safe to use.
The kidney related lawsuits over Prilosec came to light in 2016 when the research study was released. So many people had filed a lawsuit in various areas of the country that it was quickly necessary to consider consolidating them into a single multidistrict litigation.
These lawsuits involved numerous makers of PPIs, including AstraZeneca, Pfizer, and Takeda. In 2016, the drug manufacturers requested that a federal judicial panel consolidate these cases into a single multidistrict litigation.
At this time, there were numerous claims across the country, including in 12 separate courts. By February 2017, the number of lawsuits had doubled and reached 39.
Each of the cases were similar in the claims of loss related to the way these products worked. Claimants stated that they did not receive adequate warning when using these drugs that there was a risk to their kidneys that could prove to be life threatening.
That same month, the U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation did not approve the MDL request from the manufacturers. The panel found that while there were numerous claims presented, there were various differences between them, and as a result, of that and the fact that more than one PPI manufacturer was being sued, the panel moved to limit the access to the MDL.
In August 2017, the panel decided that the District of New Jersey should centralize the cases and claims. At that time, 24 lawsuits were in place that asked for the MDL (this was a second request made by plaintiffs). At that time, there were over 160 cases that were already pending against the manufacturers. Of them, 60 were in the District of New Jersey.
The U.S. Judicial Panel elected at that time to create the MDL. They assisted Claire C. Cecchi in overseeing the proceedings.
To be clear, these are pending cases. This is an open lawsuit. If you have suffered any type of injury to your kidneys related to your use of Prilosec, Join the Many.
Other Cases Against Prilosec
Though the kidney disease claims are some of the largest, this is not the first time that Prilosec has been in a courtroom with plaintiffs suffering from its use.
For example, in May of 20009, a class action lawsuit was filed against AstraZeneca by Thomas Mitchell of Ohio. In this class action case, the individual stated that the manufacturer did not warn users of Prilosec OTC that it could cause an increased risk of food poisoning. This case was ultimately dismissed as a class action lawsuit so that Mitchell could then pursue the claims under the related Ohio Product Liability Act.
Another lawsuit led to the warning of $20 million in a class action lawsuit that involved AstraZeneca as well as Nexium. This lawsuit, filed in 2015, claimed that the company advertised falsely and that misled consumers into purchasing a more expensive version of the product. The company was stated to have wanted to protect its market share even as the company’s patent on the product was expiring.
Current State of the Prilosec Kidney Claims
There are still thousands of cases pending against Prilosec manufacturers related to the claims of kidney disease. This case is still being litigated and being fought by the manufacturers. There have been no announced payments made just yet, but the case is still in court and still being considered.
There have been motions to disqualify doctors and medical information indicating that there is a lack of evidence. However, there has not been any decision made in this situation just yet.
One of the first steps that is likely to occur is the processing of what are called bellwether cases. These are some of the first cases that will go to court and be decided upon. They are called this because they are said to be indicators of what could happen for all of the thousands of additional cases that have been filed since these first ones.
U.S. District Judge Claire C. Cecchi recently issued a case management order. This order means that the number of cases has been dropped to nine in terms of the bellwether discovery cases. Discovery is continuing. It is expected that these cases will go to trial in 2022 or after. The U.S. District Court of New Jersey is overseeing the process through the Proton-Pump MDL 2789.
What to Do If You Have Suffered Kidney Injury
If you believe you could have suffered kidney injury or the onset of chronic kidney disease because of your use of Prilosec or other PPIs, remember you aren’t alone. Many have come forward already, and if you join them, you can make sure this never happens again.
While there are still many steps to go before the case will be settled, those who are a member of the case litigation may receive financial compensation for their losses. If you have medical bills or perhaps lost a loved one as a result of their kidney issues and you know they used this product, it is worth it to take action.
Who May Qualify for a Prilosec Lawsuit?
Lawsuits continue to come in against the company and other PPI manufacturers. If you have a case, you may be entitled to compensation for your losses. Currently, those who took the following medications are at the highest risk of suffering this type of kidney failure:
- Prilosec
- Prilosec OTC
- Nexium
- Nexium IV
- Nexium 24 HR
- Protonix
- Zegerid
- Zegerid OTC
- Prevacid
- Prevacid IV
- Prevacid 24 Hour
You may qualify to file a lawsuit if you took one of these medications, were hospitalized with a kidney injury, or were diagnosed with stomach cancer. You may also have significant medical bills, loss of quality of life, pain and suffering, and other claims.
Many people suffered a much higher risk of kidney failure – also called renal failure or renal insufficiency.
Anyone that knows they have taken these medications significantly and then developed kidney illness, including kidney damage, kidney failure, and chronic kidney disease, should seek out immediate help from Join the Many.
