Prevacid Lawyers for Kidney Injury and Stomach Cancer Cases
The product liability lawyers at Saiontz & Kirk, P.A. are reviewing potential Prevacid lawsuits for individuals nationwide who have experienced kidney problems after using this popular acid reflux and heartburn drug, or been diagnosed with stomach cancer.
Contact Our Lawyers to Review anPREVACID LAWSUIT
Although Prevacid has been used by millions of people and is widely thought to be safe, a number of studies suggest that side effects of Prevacid and other proton pump inhibitors (PPI) may cause users to face a number of serious health risks, which were not adequately disclosed by the drug maker, including:
- Stomach Cancer or Gastric Cancer
- Acute Kidney Injury
- Acute Interstitial Nephritis (AIN)
- Chronic Kidney Disease
- Kidney Failure
- Dialysis Treatment
- Kidney Transplant Surgery
If information had been provided to consumers and the medical community about the potential link between Prevacid and these serious health risks, many people may have avoided serious and life-threatening complications by limiting their use of this drug or choosing a different treatment alternative.
Contact our Prevacid injury lawyers to review whether your or a loved one may be entitled to financial compensation. Request a free consultation and claim evaluation.
Prevacid Side Effects
Prevacid (lansoprazole) is a Takeda Pharmaceuticals drug first approved in 1995. It is part of a popular class of heartburn medications known as proton pump inhibitors, which also include other popular brands like Nexium, Prilosec, Protonix, AcipHex, Dexilant, Zegerid and others.
The medication is approved to treat stomach and duodenum ulcers, ulcers induced by the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and Zollinger-Ellison syndrome.
The patent for Prevacid expired in 2009 and it has become available as a generic, as well as over-the-counter.
Due to the lack of adequate warnings about the potential Prevacid risks, the medication has been widely used by millions of Americans. It now appears that in many cases the drug may not have been medically required, and individuals could have stopped using the drug without a return of symptoms. However, users and the medical community were falsely led to believe there were few Prevacid side effects.
In recent years, studies have highlighted a link between Prevacid and kidney damage, including sudden or chronic loss of kidney function, which can lead to serious and potentially life-threatening health problems. Other studies have also identified a potential Prevacid stomach cancer risk, which experts indicate should have been investigated and researched by drug makers years earlier.
▸ Prevacid Interstitial Nephritis Warnings
In December 2014, the FDA required new warning information about a form of Prevacid kidney problems, known as acute interstitial nephritis, which involves a sudden inflammation of the kidneys that can lead to more severe problems. The new warning information states:
Acute interstitial nephritis has been observed in patients taking PPIs including Prevacid. Acute interstitial nephritis may occur at any point during PPI therapy and is generally attributed to idiopathic hypersensitivity reaction. Discontinue Prevacid if acute intestinal nephritis develops
According to allegations that will be raised in Prevacid lawsuits, these warnings should have been provided much earlier and also do not go far enough. Consumers and the medical community should be informed that Prevacid may increase the risk of acute kidney injury, chronic kidney disease, kidney failure and other problems.
▸ Prevacid Acute Kidney Injury Risk
In a study published by the medical journal CMAJ Open in April 2015, researchers found that side effects of Prevacid and other PPI may cause some users to face a 2.5 fold increased risk of acute kidney injury, as well as a three times higher risk of acute interstitial nephritis when compared to individuals who do not use a heartburn drug.
Researchers highlighted the importance of doctors understanding the risk of acute interstitial nephritis and kidney injury with drugs like Prevacid, indicating that patients should be monitored and indiscriminate use of the drugs should be discouraged.
In severe cases, a Prevacid acute kidney injury may become chronic, leading to kidney disease, end-stage renal failure, the need for life-long dialysis treatment or a kidney transplant.
▸ Prevacid Chronic Kidney Disease
In January 2016, another study published in the medical journal JAMA Internal Medicine highlighted the Prevacid kidney injury risks, finding that proton pump inhibitors (PPI) may increase the chances of individuals developing chronic kidney disease (CDK) by 50%.
Researchers called for further research on the link between Prevacid and kidney disease, and lawsuits allege that Prevacid warnings should more clearly indicated that Prevacid can cause sudden loss of kidney function, potentially resulting in symptoms like:
- Weakness or Fatigue
- Shortness of Breath
- Abnormal Heart Rhythms
- Pain the Flanks
Recurrent kidney injury or more severe instances may be the underlying cause of chronic kidney disease from Prevacid, and many individuals may have avoided this serious complication by discontinuing the drug or pursuing a different treatment alternative.
It appears that Takeda placed their desire for profits ahead of consumer safety by failing to provide adequate information and warnings about these potential Prevacid kidney risks.
▸ Prevacid Stomach Cancer Lawsuits
Prevacid was one of the first proton pump inhibitor (PPI) medications introduced, and it now appears that the drug maker ignored signals about the potential risk of stomach cancer. Prilosec users have reported cases of gastric cancer, with the risk appearing to increase the longer the medication is used.
In late 2017 studies were published in the medical journals Gut and The BMJ, which highlighted the potential stomach cancer risk. Findings suggest that side effects of Prilosec increase the risk of gastric cancer compared to other types of heartburn drugs, with long-term users being three times more likely to develop cancer in the stomach.
Potential Prevacid stomach cancer lawsuits, with free consultations and case evaluations provided to help individuals and families determine whether they may be entitled to financial compensation.
Prevacid Class Action Lawyers
The lawyers at Saiontz & Kirk, P.A. are reviewing potential Prevacid class action lawsuits and individual claims for those who have suffered a kidney injury. Similar claims are being pursued through Nexium lawsuits, Prilosec lawsuits and other acid reflux drug lawsuits.
All cases are reviewed by our lawyers on a contingency fee basis, which means that there are no out-of-pocket costs to hire our law firm and we only receive an attorney fee or reimbursed expenses if we are successful obtaining a Prevacid settlement or recovery or a kidney injury suffered by you or a loved one.
Request a free consultation and claim evaluation to determine what legal options may be available.