We are no longer handling Zantac claims.
If you have been following the news about drug recalls and dangerous medications, you have probably seen headlines about Zantac. It is a medication frequently used to treat heartburn, but it has recently been linked to cancer lawsuits.
Many patients who used Zantac were later diagnosed with cancer—this dangerous drug has been tied to many different forms of cancer in a wide variety of patients. Yet heartburn drugs may be harmful beyond the fact that some of them may cause cancer in some patients.
According to a recent article in Time, a new study suggests that using certain heartburn drugs may put patients at greater risk of a COVID-19 infection if they are exposed to the coronavirus.
Can Heartburn Medications Increase Likelihood of a COVID-19 Infection?
The article cites a new study published in the American Journal of Gastroenterology, which reports that a surprisingly high number of patients using medications to treat heartburn, acid reflux, and other conditions have also tested positive for COVID-19. The study involved research by scientists at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and it involved more than 86,000 patients. Of those patients, “more than 53,000 reported abdominal pain or discomfort, acid reflux, heartburn or regurgitation.”
The researchers then asked those patients about the medications they were using to treat their symptoms. In addition, the patients were tested for COVID-19. Of the 53,000 patients who were experiencing those symptoms listed above, 3,300 had positive COVID-19 tests.
Why is this data significant? A majority of those 3,300 patients were using a heartburn medication. More specifically, they were using Prilosec or another proton pump inhibitor (PPI) medication to treat their condition. Similar to Zantac, PPI heartburn medications can be obtained in over-the-counter forms as well as in prescription doses.
Why Can Medications Increase Risk of Infection?
The authors of the study were not surprised to learn that some heartburn drugs may increase a patient’s risk of contracting COVID-19. As the study explains, these drugs “reduce stomach acid, and acid is one way the body kills off potentially harmful bacteria and viruses.” Heartburn medications have long been linked to a higher likelihood of contracting certain kinds of infections.
According to the study, “if the gut’s normal environment is altered—as it can be when taking heartburn medications—that may turn it into fertile ground for viruses like SARS-CoV-2, which is responsible for COVID-19.”
Contact Me for Assistance with Your Zantac Claim
Zantac is an extremely dangerous drug, and patients in Ohio and across the country have suffered serious harms after using this product. No one should have to experience a serious injury because they used a medication that was supposed to be safe.
Whether you purchase an over-the-counter medication or pick up a prescription medication at your local pharmacy prescribed by your doctor, you should be able to trust that the medicine is safe to use. It is devastating to realize that a drug you have been using may be linked to a cancer diagnosis or to other serious harms like a COVID-19 infection.
Let me help you seek financial compensation. When it comes to holding drug makers accountable, you should know that I’ll Make Them Pay!® Do not hesitate to contact my firm at 877.944.4373 for more information about filing a claim.
