A lawsuit recently filed in the U.S. District Court District of New Jersey alleges that someone received stomach cancer because of taking proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) Prilosec, Nexium, and the variations of both drugs.
PPIs are used to treat many stomach conditions but can create even worse problems in the stomach as well. Before informing yourself about these lawsuits, you must first inform yourself on PPIs, specifically Nexium and Prilosec. You must also inform yourself about their potential side effects.
What are proton pump inhibitors?
Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are medications that reduce the amount of stomach accident found in the stomach lining. They help relieve symptoms of acid reflux, a condition in which food or liquid goes back up to the esophagus. PPIs can also help treat stomach ulcers.
Also, they can treat lower esophagus damage resulting from acid reflux. PPIs can be used to treat heartburn as well. They come in various brand names such as Prilosec, Nexium, Prevacid, AcipHex, Protonix, Dexilant, or Zegerid.
What are PPI side effects?
Commonly found side effects may include a headache, diarrhea, constipation, nausea, and itching. Serious long-term side effects may include infections and bone fractures.
PPIs can also be very bad for your kidneys as well. According to an April 2016 study published in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology, PPIs are linked to serious kidney complications. It showed that patients who took PPIs were about 96% more likely to get kidney failure than those who did not. PPIs users were also 28% more likely to develop chronic kidney disease after five years of taking PPIs.
According to a 2017 study published in Gut, there may be a link between PPIs and gastric cancer. This study was documented by Hong Kong-based researchers. They looked at 63,000 adults in Hong Kong over a nine-year span that ranged from 2003 to 2012.
They discovered that those who took PPIs such as Nexium and Prilosec doubled their risk of gastric cancer. This contrasts with other heartburn drugs, which did not increase any risk. The study is very relevant to the current lawsuit involving Nexium and Prilosec that is being filed in the New Jersey court.
What is Nexium?
Esomeprazole, most commonly sold as Nexium, is a PPI that is used to treat many stomach conditions including upset stomach, indigestion, peptic ulcer disease, gastroesophageal reflux disease, and Zollinger-Ellison syndrome. It is available in twenty to forty-milligram capsules. It is usually taken once or twice a day. It can sometimes be administered intravenously as well. The pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca manufactures Nexium.
Nexium side effects include kidney problems, severe diarrhea, bone fractures, lupus, and stomach growths. It can also cause a reaction in those allergic to esomeprazole.
What is Prilosec?
Omeprazole, most commonly sold as Prilosec, is a PPI used to treat both gastric and duodenal ulcers, erosive esophagitis, and gastroesophageal reflux disease. It is sometimes used in combination with antibiotics to treat ulcers involving bacterial infections.
Omeprazole can be used to treat Zollinger-Ellison syndrome, a condition involving excessive acid production in the stomach. It also helps treat dyspepsia, which causes sour stomach, belching, heartburn, and indigestion. Omeprazole helps treat upper gastrointestinal tract bleeding. It is also available either over the counter or by prescription. The pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca distributes Prilosec as well.
Prilosec side effects
Our lawyers focus on the Prilosec cancer lawsuits. Serious side effects also may include kidney disease, heart attack, stroke, bone fractures, memory loss, and birth defects.
New Jersey lawsuit
On October 11th, Maryland resident Stewart Williams filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court District of New Jersey that alleges that the plaintiff’s use of Nexium, Prilosec, Nexium 24HR, and Prilosec OTC resulted in his stomach cancer.
This stomach cancer lawsuit was filed against AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP, AstraZeneca LP, Merck & Co. Inc., Procter & Gamble Manufacturing Company, The Procter & Gamble Company, and Pfizer Inc.
This Prilosec cancer lawsuit alleges that the defendants had “negligently represented to the medical and healthcare community… that Nexium, Nexium 24HR, Prilosec, and Prilosec OTC had been tested and were found to be safe and/or effective.” The suit also alleges that the defendants “concealed their knowledge that” the drugs the plaintiff took caused stomach cancer. The lawsuit then notes that Plaintiff seeks compensatory damages for taking these four drugs.
Getting a Lawyer
If you are currently suffering from a serious side effect after taking Nexium or Prilosec – you should immediately contact a personal injury attorney to see if a lawsuit should be filed on your behalf.
You can reach us at 888-322-3010. You can also get a free online case review to find out whether you may be eligible for financial compensation.