A deadlocked jury led to a mistrial in Chicago during the third trial concerning claims that the now-discontinued heartburn medication Zantac caused cancer. Martin Gross, the plaintiff, asserted that he developed prostate cancer due to NDMA, a potential carcinogen found in the drug. Despite the impasse, Gross’s legal team remains resolute, with plans to bring the case back to court.
Boehringer Ingelheim, one of the pharmaceutical companies involved, expressed disappointment over the lack of a verdict but maintained that scientific evidence supports the conclusion that Zantac does not cause cancer.
Zantac, once a blockbuster drug, was first approved in 1983 and became the top-selling medication globally by 1988. The drug has been sold by multiple companies, including Boehringer Ingelheim, GSK, Pfizer, and Sanofi, all of which have faced a tidal wave of litigation since the FDA requested its removal from the market in 2020 due to concerns that its active ingredient, ranitidine, could degrade into NDMA under certain conditions.
While two previous trials ended in favor of the defense, this recent deadlock underscores the ongoing legal battles. Sanofi and Pfizer have already settled thousands of cases, yet more than 70,000 lawsuits persist in Delaware, where a judge recently allowed them to proceed. The companies involved continue to argue that the lawsuits are baseless, citing a significant 2022 federal ruling that found no reliable scientific link between Zantac and cancer. However, that ruling is currently under appeal.
The legal skirmish over Zantac continues to unfold, with both sides preparing for further courtroom confrontations.
