Proton Pump Inhibitor Lawsuits
Proton pump inhibitor lawsuits accuse the drug increased patient’s risk of developing serious kidney problems
Proton pump inhibitor lawsuits accuse manufactures of Prilosec, Nexium, Protonix, Prevacid and other PPI brands have failed to inform serious complications with the drug.
Proton Pump Inhibitor lawsuits seek damages from heartburn drug companies for personal injury
Proton pump inhibitor lawsuits seek damages on behalf of consumers from manufacturers of Prilosec, Nexium, Protonix, Prevacid and other PPI drugs for failing to inform patients and doctors about the serious risks associated with their treatments.
Proton pump inhibitor (PPI) drugs are commonly used to treat heartburn but have recently been linked to serious health problems such as kidney failure.
What are proton pump inhibitors?
Heartburn affects at least 15 million Americans every day.
PPI or Proton pump inhibitors are a class of drug commonly used to treat gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) by regulating the amount of acid produced in the stomach. Though stomach acid is vital for digestion, an excess of acid can cause major discomfort and push patients to seek treatment. Common PPI brands include Nexium (esomeprazole), Prilosec (omeprazole), Prevacid (lansoprazole) and Dexilant (dexlansoprazole).
Another study at the University of Buffalo concluded that PPI use is associated with heightened risk of chronic kidney diease and even death. According to the researchers, PPIs are often prescribed outside of their approved uses and are the most common cause of acute interstitial nephritis (AIN) among Americans—the association between PPIs and AIN is long-established, with the first study showing the link appearing in the American Journal of Medicine in 1992.
Unfortunately, the manufacturers of PPI drugs like Prilosec, Nexium and Dexilant still failed to warn doctors and patients adequately that use of its medication could cause acute kidney injury (AKI), chronic kidney disease (CKD), end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and acute interstitial nephritis (AIN). In recent lawsuits, PPIs produced by companies including AstraZeneca, Takeda Pharmaceuticals and Pfizer have all been linked to cases of personal injury.
Drug brands and companies named in PPI lawsuits
Nexium (esomeprazole) — AstraZeneca
Prilosec (omeprazole) — AstraZeneca
Prilosec OTC (omeprazole) — Proctor & Gamble
Dexilant (dexlansoprazole) — Takeda Pharmaceuticals
Prevacid (lansoprazole) — Takeda Pharmaceuticals
Protonix (pantoprazole) — Pfizer
Zegerid (omeprazole and sodium bicarbonate) — Bayer HealthCare
AcipHex (rabeprazole) — Eisai and Janssen Pharmaceutica (Johnson & Johnson)
Vimovo (esomeprazole and naproxen) — Horizon Pharma
Patients who develop health problems from PPIs may be entitled to damages
Over 15,000 patients have sought personal injury claims against PPI drug companies and many more are likely eligible to seek compensation. As an increasing number of patients develop kidney injuries and other problems from taking Prilosec, Nexium and other PPI brands, many are working with personal injury lawyers to push cases against pharmaceutical companies.
Since 2017, Nexium manufacturer AstraZeneca has faced a series of lawsuits over the company’s failure to inform patients and doctors about the risks of the drug. The company has also faced allegations of failing to disclose the risks associated with Prilosec, another common PPI drug. Patient advocates allege that the company was aware of the risks of kidney disease associated with drug as far back as 2004 but failed to raise the issue publicly for over 10 years.
PPI manufacturer Pfizer, the company that produces Protonix, is involved in similar personal injury lawsuits over the role of the drug in increasing patients’ risk of kidney failure.
PPI lawsuits against pharmaceutical firms continue to expand
In August 2017, judges combined the proton pump inhibitor lawsuits into a multidistrict litigation case, or MDL. Under the personal injury MDL, the number of lawsuits against PPI manufacturers has swelled, becoming the second-biggest mass litigation case in the US by mid-2019.
According to the original motion to establish the PPI MDL, complainants say they “suffered and continue to suffer from kidney injuries including but not limited to, acute interstitial nephritis, chronic kidney disease or renal failure known as end-stage renal disease, and acute kidney injuries.”
The MDL over PPI personal injury specifically focuses on AstraZeneca, Takeda and Pfizer. The first bellwether trial for the PPI lawsuits is set for September 21, 2020.
According to personal injury attorneys and patient advocates, the number of PPI lawsuits against the manufacturers of Nexium, Prilosec and Dexilant are likely to continue to grow as more patients push for compensation.
