Zantac, a ranitidine drug, has amassed a lot of limelight because of all the wrong reasons. The troubles for its manufacturers began to exacerbate in late 2019 when several reports were linked to its probability of causing various types of cancer.
In this article, we will discuss what Zantac is and what it does, and talk about the possibility of Zantac users suffering from Bladder cancer Let’s dive in.
What Exactly Is Zantac?
Since its release in the 1980s, Zantac has been consumed, marketed, and deemed safe in the medical fraternity. Many people who suffer from illnesses including indigestion, heartburn, GERD (gastroesophageal reflux), and others have been using the medicine for years or even decades to address their symptoms.
Zantac (ranitidine) falls under the histamine-2 blocker class of medicines. It helps reduce the quantity of acid produced by your gut. It has traditionally been used to treat and prevent gut and intestinal ulcers. It has also been used to treat Zollinger-Ellison syndrome, a disorder in which the stomach generates excessive amounts of acid.
Why Was Zantac Withdrawn From The Drug Market?
When ranitidine is preserved in extreme temperatures, a cancer-causing contaminant NDMA present in many ranitidine drugs like Zantac can build up to high amounts. These high amounts can be harmful to the user. There are limited studies on NDMA but researchers are noticing some links to cancer in mice models.
This led to the FDA directing all the manufacturers of ranitidine to remove the drug from the market in the U.S. The primary reason for this is that the use of Zantac may raise your chances of cancer because of NDMA, as mentioned above.
The usage of Zantac regularly may lead to many types of cancer including liver cancer. The hypothesis is that the drug’s metabolized by the liver, which can result in the formation of NDMA.
This NDMA can subsequently be transported throughout the bloodstream. Since NDMA generation after intake of Zantac (ranitidine) can occur in multiple parts of the body, it may be linked to a variety of malignancies.
Not Found By FDA, But An Online Pharmacy
The issue with liver cancer and serious liver disorders induced by ranitidine did not come to the notice of the FDA or drug firms. Instead, it was Valisure, an online pharmacy, that did the government service of notifying the public of this significant situation.
Valisure’s approach is to purchase pharmaceutical items and test them independently. The company is dedicated to public safety, and it has discovered contamination in several well-known pharmaceuticals.
Ranitidine contains NDMA
Just when knowledge of the NDMA (N-Nitrosodimethylamine) contamination reached Valisure, the pharma makers, and the shops themselves did react fast. Pharmaceutical corporations that developed Zantac and cheap ranitidine, according to lawsuits, knew for a long time that their medications included a cancer-causing chemical.
Liver Cancer and Zantac
Liver cancer is defined as cancer that begins in the cells of your liver. The liver is a huge organ located in the upper right section of your belly, beneath the diaphragm and above the stomach.
Several malignancies can occur in the liver. Hepatocellular carcinoma is the most frequent type of liver cancer, and it starts in the primary type of liver cell known as hepatocyte. Hepatoblastoma & Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma are two less prevalent kinds of liver cancer. While in some cases, liver cancer is treatable, the fatality rate associated with the condition is alarmingly high.
At this time, there is no way of knowing how likely it is that you may get liver damage after taking Zantac. However, there is evidence that the NDMA in Zantac may raise the chance of developing liver problems.
If you or a loved one took Zantac regularly for a health issue and experienced major liver problems, you may be entitled to join a class-action lawsuit against Zantac’s manufacturers.
Zantac Has Been Connected to a Variety of Cancers
People who have acquired the following cancers as a result of persistent and extended usage of Zantac or comparable ranitidine medicines may be eligible for compensation, in addition to liver cancer:
- Bladder cancer is a type of cancer that affects the bladder
- Cancer of the stomach
- Cancer of the oesophagus and colon
- Renal/kidney cancer
- Leukemia
- Multiple Myeloma
- Lymphoma Non-Hodgkin’s
- Pancreatic carcinoma is a type of cancer that affects the pancreas
- Prostate cancer is a type of cancer that affects men
- Cancer of the small intestine
Conclusion
Zantac is no longer available on the market due to various legal claims from cancer patients who were diagnosed as a result of its prolonged use. Just like many other cancer claims, the claims of Zantac causing Liver cancer are not yet fully proven. But there are reported instances where regular use of Zantac has resulted in liver problems. Science will know more in the years to come.
