Prevacid Kidney Damage Lawsuit
Prevacid, an over the counter (OTC) heartburn, "antacid" and acid reflux drug has been linked long with Nexium and Prilosec to increased risk of kidney failure and chronic kidney disease (CKD). Many of these Prevacid users with gastric cancer, stomach cancer, kidney damage or kidney failure have already investigated filing a Prevacid lawsuit. This medical study states that extended use of Prevacid, Nexium and Prilosec increase one's risk of permanent kidney damage leading to kidney failure by 96%.
Prevacid Lawsuit - Talk to a Prevacid Lawyer
If your family has suffered injury due to defective drug Prevacid, you may be legally entitled to payments gained by means of a Prevacid kidney damage lawsuit. The acid reflux and heartburn drug Prevacid, is known to be associated with greatly increased risk of kidney injury, and victims have a legal right to claim financial compensation. Call Toll Free 1-800-883-9858
What is Prevacid?
As for what is Prevacid, it belongs in a category of drugs called proton pump inhibitors, or PPI’s. Such antacid drugs help combat acid reflux, heartburn or indigestion by reducing the amount of acid in the stomach. They do this by inhibiting the proton pumps in the stomach which produce acid.
Prevacid’s active ingredient is lansoprazole, a compound which can inhibit gastric acid secretion. Other PPI drugs include Prilosec and Nexium. They are sold both by prescription and in OTC (over the counter) form. Prevacid costs more than Prilosec -- reportedly at least $38 per month, compared to $10 per month for Prilosec. Nexium, also known as the “Purple Pill,” can cost about $150 per month.
Kidney and Health Dangers of Prevacid & other PPI's
The dangers from PPI drugs is that sustained use of them can lead to side effects and complications such as chronic kidney disease (CKD), gastric cancer, stomach cancer, kidney inflammation (nephritis) and even kidney failure, which can lead to death. Many other side effects also can arise, including bone fractures. Victims and their families can get legal help from the Willis Law Firm, which has decades of experience helping injured persons get the payments they legally deserved after someone else’s negligence harmed them.
FDA, Prevacid and Manufacturers
The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) and Prevacid have a long history. The FDA first approved prescription-level Prevacid in 1995, when it was made and marketed by Japan’s Takeda Pharmaceuticals. Takeda in addition is known for its Type 2 diabetes drug Actos, for which Takeda paid $2.4 billion in settlements of 9,000 bladder cancer lawsuits in 2015. Over-the-counter or non-prescription Prevacid24HR, from Novartis, was FDA-approved in 2009, the first such approval since 2003.
Novartis had bought the rights for OTC Prevacid from TAP Pharmaceutical Products Inc. in 2005 and also worked out a deal with Takeda for the right to develop an OTC version of Prevacid in the U.S.
Prevacid Kidney Lawsuit
What do these companies and ownerships mean to you if you were harmed by a PPI drug such as Prevacid. They mean you can target a kidney lawsuit against the maker of the drug that injured you or a loved one. Other Prevacid kidney lawsuits also have been filed against the maker of Prevacid over other injuries. In 2012, a man who’d suffered hip fractures after using Prevacid filed a lawsuit against its maker. Often, defective drug lawsuits are settled via private negotiations out of course, and with no need for a trial. It’s also believed that Prevacid use can lead to spine and wrist fractures. This can occur after prolonged use of the drug, such as over one year, which can lead to hypomagnesemia, or low serum magnesium levels. In fact, in 2011 the FDA warned consumers that using Prevacid or some other PPI drug for more than one year could result in hypomagnesemia.
Other Prevacid Side Effects
According to studies and to reports from news organizations such as CBS News and the New York Times, PPI drugs including Prevacid were used by over 15 million Americans in 2013. Such drugs can cause serious kidney ailments as well as other side effects. Prevacid and other over-the-counter drugs in the PPI category are meant to be taken in small doses for short periods of time -- often a two-week course of treatment, and with no more than three such treatment periods in a one-year span. However, the danger remains, even for OTC drugs, and if not taken properly, they can contribute to severe injuries such as chronic kidney disease or renal failure.
Kidney Disease is Rising
Indeed, chronic kidney disease (CKD) in the U.S. is on the rise. The American Society of Nephrology reports that over 20 million Americans suffer from chronic kidney disease, meaning their kidneys are damaged and can't filter blood properly. This also can lead to high blood pressure and diabetes.
Up until recent years, PPI drugs had been associated only with short-term kidney ailments such as acute kidney injury and acute interstitial nephritis, an inflammatory kidney disease called. But now PPI drugs such as Prevacid are being linked to chronic kidney disease, renal failure and stomach cancer. Victims can get justice, starting with a call to the Willis Law Firm.
