Pfizer Agrees to Settle Over 10,000 That Heartburn Drug Zantac Causes Cancer

By Madz Dizon

May 09 2024, 01:30 AM EDT

Pfizer Agrees to Settle Over 10,000 That Heartburn Drug Zantac Causes Cancer — A man entry at the building where Pfizer's office located in Thessaloniki on November 10, 2020. SAKIS MITROLIDIS/AFP via Getty Images

Pfizer has settled over 10,000 lawsuits that accused the company of concealing the cancer risks associated with its heartburn drug, Zantac.

The financial details have not been disclosed; however, Sanofi, a competitor in the pharmaceutical industry, recently reached a settlement of over $100 million to address 4,000 claims related to Zantac and cancer.

In 2020, the over-the-counter pill was withdrawn from the US market due to the discovery that one of its substances released chemicals that were deemed "probable human carcinogens" based on animal studies.

Pfizer Settles Zantac Cancer Claims

The lawsuits were filed in state courts across the country. While the agreements reached by Pfizer addressed some aspects of the claims connecting Zantac and cancer, they do not provide a complete resolution to Pfizer's potential liability.

The details of the settlements were not revealed.

Zantac was introduced to the market in 1983 by Glaxo Holdings, which is currently part of GlaxoSmithKline.

In 2020, the Food and Drug Administration requested that drug manufacturers remove Zantac and its generic versions from the market due to the presence of NDMA, a cancer-causing substance, in samples of the drug.

Many lawsuits have accumulated in federal and state courts against Pfizer, GSK, Sanofi, and Boehringer Ingelheim, the New York Post reported.

Sanofi's Zantac Lawsuit Resolution Pending

Last month, Sanofi agreed in principle to settle 4,000 lawsuits related to the potential cancer risks associated with Zantac.

Sanofi did not disclose the financial terms of the deal. However, according to a report by Bloomberg News, it is estimated that the company will pay $100 million, which amounts to approximately $25,000 per plaintiff.

The agreement is still pending finalization and aims to settle most lawsuits against the French pharmaceutical company in US state courts.

However, it should be noted that the cases pending in Delaware are not included in this resolution.

Sanofi continues to grapple with approximately 20,000 lawsuits related to Zantac in Delaware state court.

A Delaware Superior Court judge in Wilmington is considering the outcome of approximately 70,000 cases filed against Sanofi and other defendants, such as GSK, Pfizer, and Boehringer Ingelheim.

In 2022, Sanofi and GSK's market capitalization declined significantly, amounting to a staggering $45 billion. This decline was due to growing concerns surrounding Zantac.