Many patients have sung the praises of prescription heartburn medications, especially those who are unable to eat or sleep without suffering painful acid reflux. In recent years, these drugs have grown to become among the most widely-prescribed medications in the world, netting the drug makers billions of dollars annually. But while these medications may be effective at lowering stomach acid levels, they may also cause kidney damage and heart failure, doing more harm than good for long-term users.
Over 15 million patients have been prescribed a class of heartburn medications known as proton-pump inhibitors (PPI), and it is estimated that many more take PPIs that are available over the counter. These medications are prescribed to treat a number of gastro-intestinal conditions, such as prevent ulcers from bleeding, heal acid-related damage to the esophagus, treat gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and clear up stomach infections.
Popular PPI heartburn medications include:
In recent years, researchers have become concerned over the growing number of PPI users who have suffered from debilitating side effects, including:
In 2005, patients filed a class-action lawsuit against drug maker AstraZeneca for using questionable marketing practices to promote Nexium. According to court documents, the company allegedly used deception to push patients taking Prilosec toward the newly-released Nexium. When the patent for AstraZeneca’s Prilosec expired, the company marketed Nexium to ulcer patients, persuading them that the drug was safe and beneficial despite containing nearly the same ingredients as Prilosec.
In the years following this claim, several more lawsuits have been filed against the makers of Prilosec and Nexium. Some of the claims made against the drug maker include a failure to warn doctors and patients of the known risks of kidney damage and kidney failure, as well as failure to provide clinical evidence and unethical marketing practices. These lawsuits claim that proper warning of the drug’s dangers would have allowed patients to seek alternate treatments for their heartburn or to monitor their health more closely for signs of adverse health effects while taking the drug.
The McGartland Law Firm works tirelessly to help victims of dangerous drugs hold companies responsible for their illegal activities. We have won multi-millions of dollars for our clients and work on a contingency-fee basis, allowing us to provide quality legal representation without undue financial risk. Call 1-866-832-9300 today to speak with one of our representatives about your case.