Stomach Cancer Lawsuit Filed Against PPI Makers

Introduction

According to a lawsuit filed on October 11 in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey, the use of Nexium, Prilosec, Nexium 24HR, and Prilosec OTC Prilosec caused him stomach cancer.

The plaintiff stated in the lawsuit that he took the heartburn medications in January 2013 and was diagnosed with stomach cancer in October 2015. This is one of the first lawsuits filed against the manufacturers of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) over stomach cancer allegations. The lawsuit accuses the PPI manufacturers of negligent conduct and states, “despite their knowledge of the risks of stomach cancer associated with their proton pump inhibitors, Nexium, Nexium 24HR, Prilosec, and Prilosec OTC, defendants took no action to inform Plaintiff or Plaintiff’s physicians of this known risk.” Several individuals have filed lawsuits in the past blaming PPI drugs for their kidney problems. In December 2013, a study indicated the link between PPI drugs and gastric cancer and stated that the long-term use of the medication might double the risk.

This case is likely to be a part of the federal multidistrict (MDL No. 2789; In Re: Proton-Pump Inhibitor Products Liability Litigation [No. II]), which currently comprises about 2,333 kidney injury lawsuits. Similar PPI lawsuits are centralized before Judge Claire C. Cecchi in the District of New Jersey for coordinated pretrial proceedings. Judge Cecchi has scheduled the first bellwether trial in the litigation for September 21, 2020.

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