Commonly prescribed and over-the-counter medications for heartburn and gastric reflux have allegedly been linked to stomach cancer and kidney failure, and Australian patients could be entitled to compensation.
Melbourne-based law firm Shine Lawyers has launched a collective investigation into the health impacts of drugs known as proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), with an estimated 100,000 Australians eligible.
Those who are eligible to join the class action lawsuit will need to “have been diagnosed with stomach cancer or kidney failure after beginning to take one (or more) of the PPI medications.”
PPI medications being investigated include Nexium or Nexium 24HR (or medications containing esomeprazole), Losec (omeprazole), Somac (pantoprazole), Pariet (rabeprazole), and Zoton FasTabs (lansoprazole).
Somac and Zoton require a prescription, while Pariet is pharmaceutical only.
Craig Allsopp, joint head of class actions at Shine Lawyers, said PPIs “reduce the amount of acid produced by the stomach and are used to treat acid reflux and stomach ulcers.”
“PPIs are some of the most prescribed medications on the market and consumers often take them for longer periods and at higher doses than recommended,” he said.
PPIs work by decreasing the enzymes that line the stomach and produce digestive acid, relieving symptoms of burning in the intestine and throat.
However, this can cause increased levels of gastrin, which is a hormone produced in the gastrointestinal tract, urinary tract, and nervous system.
Increases in gastrin have been linked to the formation of cancer cells.
Melbourne-based law firm Shine Lawyers has launched a collective investigation into the alleged adverse health impacts of drugs known as proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), including Losec (pictured), and is estimates that 100,000 Australians are eligible.
Gastric cancers thought to be potentially caused by these drugs include neuroendocrine tumors and adenocarcinomas.
Suspected kidney injuries include acute kidney injury, chronic kidney disorder, and kidney failure.
Allsopp said the class action would look at whether drug makers had failed to report consumers about these risks.
“The class action will explore whether there is a claim for legal safety defects, breach of warranty and/or negligence on the part of manufacturers, such as Astrazeneca and Merck,” Mr Allsopp said.
On October 3, AstraZeneca settled kidney claims against it related to Nexium and Prilosec (marketed as Losec in Australia) for $637 million.
Shine is partnering with US law firm Milberg Coleman Bryson Phillips Grossman for the investigation.
Drugmakers Pfizer (Zoton), Takeda (Somac), Janssen (Pariet), AstraZeneca (Nexium and Nexium 24HR) and Pharmaco (Losec) have been contacted for comment.
