GSK reaches first out-of-court agreement on Zantac – Kommersant

British pharmaceutical and biotechnology company GSK informed to reach an out-of-court settlement in the first of thousands of consumer lawsuits involving the stomach ulcer drug Zantac. In this and similar lawsuits, GSK is accused of causing cancer by causing Zantac. GSK does not disclose the details of the settlement of claims, but indicates only the name of the plaintiff: James Goetz, who filed a lawsuit in a California state court.

The first lawsuits against GSK because of Zantac began in large numbers file in August 2022. The British manufacturer has been selling Zantac since the 1980s, and in 1988 Zantac became the best-selling drug in the world. However, in 2018, there were reports that the active ingredient in Zantac, ranitidine, may contribute to the development of cancer.

Regulators have tested these drugs, but the results have been mixed. Both the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Medicines Agency found no evidence of a causal relationship between these drugs and cancer. However, most pharmaceutical companies themselves have decided stop sale of preparations containing ranitidine. In 2020, the FDA required such drugs to be recalled from US pharmacies.

As part of the GSK settlement, Mr Goetz’s lawsuit, which was due to begin on July 24, is cancelled. As the British company explains in a statement, the settlement reflects its desire to avoid the distraction that comes with lengthy litigation. GSK also emphasized its determination to maintain its innocence “on the basis of facts and science” in all other cases because of Zantac.

Alena Miklashevskaya