Prevacid Lawsuit

Prevacid is a popular heartburn drug that is linked to Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD), nephritis (kidney inflammation), stomach cancer, and other side effects.

What You Can Do & How We Can Help

The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting Prevacid induced injury cases in all 50 states. If you or somebody you know has been diagnosed with kidney disease or another severe side effect, you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Defective Drug Litigation Group or call toll free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.

Prevacid and Stomach Cancer

In November 2017, a study published in the journal Gut found a doubled (2X) higher risk of stomach cancer for people who were on long-term treatment with heartburn medications in the Proton Pump Inhibitor (PPI) class, which includes popular antacids like Prevacid.

Prevacid Lawsuits Centralized in MDL

August 2017 — Judges have centralized 161 lawsuits involving kidney injuries from Prevacid and other PPI heartburn drugs into Multi-District Litigation (MDL No. 2798) under Judge Claire C. Cecchi in the District of New Jersey — In RE: Proton-Pump Inhibitor Products Liability Litigation (No. II). Drug-makers are accused of failing to warn that Prevacid can cause kidney injuries, Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD), acute interstitial nephritis, end-stage kidney disease, or kidney failure.

Study: Heartburn Drugs Increase Risk of Death

July 2017 — Researchers have linked the use of PPI heartburn drugs with up to a 50% increased risk of death compared to H2-blocker heartburn drugs, according to a study published in the journal BMJ Open. The researchers estimated 1 excess death per 500 people who take a PPI. Click here to read more.

Heartburn Drugs Causing Massive Health Problems

Study Links Prevacid and Kidney Failure

April 2016 — The Journal of the American Society of Nephrology has published a study linking long-term use of PPI antacid medications like Prevacid with a 96% increased risk of kidney failure and a 26% increased risk of chronic kidney disease. Click here to read more.

What is Prevacid?

Prevacid contains lansoprazole, a medication that decreases the amount of acid produced by the stomach. It is used to prevent ulcers and diseases that occur when acid burns the esophagus, such as acid reflux and GERD.

What is the problem?

Prevacid is a Proton-Pump Inhibitor (PPI). All heartburn medications in this class have been linked to severe side effects, including bone fractures, magnesium deficiency, pneumonia, infections, kidney problems, and more. In recent years, a growing number of studies have linked PPIs and renal diseases that can lead to kidney failure. No one knows why PPIs are associated with kidney disease, but the FDA has issued warnings about  low magnesium levels, which could cause kidney damage. Another theory is that PPI users develop progressive kidney damage after experiencing low-level bouts of inflammation in the kidneys (nephritis).

FDA Warning About Nephritis

The FDA updated the label on Prevacid to include stronger warnings about kidney side effects in December 2014. According to the agency, patients can develop sudden kidney inflammation at any time during treatment.

The side effect is called acute interstitial nephritis, and it occurs when an allergic reaction to Prevacid causes severe swelling in the kidneys. Without treatment, it can lead to kidney failure. Symptoms of nephritis may include:

• Blood in the urine
• Fever
• Increased or decreased urine output
• Drowsiness, confusion, coma
• Nausea, vomiting
• Rash
• Swelling of the body
• Weight-gain from fluid retention

Prevacid and Chronic Kidney Disease

People who use Prevacid once-daily or twice-daily are 20-50% more likely to be diagnosed with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD), according to a new study published by researchers at Johns Hopkins University. The study does not prove cause-and-effect, but researchers suggested that kidney tests may be beneficial for patients on long-term treatment with PPIs.

Researchers based their conclusions on data from nearly 10,500 people in a separate study of atherosclerosis. After tracking the patients for a median of 13.9 years, researchers found that PPI users were significantly more likely to develop kidney problems than people who used non-PPI heartburn drugs like Zantac, Tagamet, or Pepcid.

In April 2015, PPIs were also linked to nephritis and acute kidney injury in a study published by CMAJ Open. The researchers found that PPIs tripled the risk of nephritis and increased the risk of kidney damage by 2.5-times. Conclusions of the study were based on data from 290,000 adults in Ontario who were over 66 years old.

Kidney Risks of Prevacid

• Kidney failure
• Acute interstitial nephritis
• Renal impairment
• Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD)
• Kidney inflammation
• And more

Prevacid and Kidney Failure

Patients on Prevacid who develop kidney inflammation are at risk of kidney failure. Over time, the kidneys lose their ability to clean the blood and make urine. This causes toxins and water to accumulate in the body. Complications can occur in nearly every part of the body, and without treatment, kidney failure is fatal. The only treatments for kidney failure are dialysis or a kidney transplant.

Do I have a Prevacid Lawsuit?

The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting Prevacid induced injury cases in all 50 states. If you or somebody you know has been diagnosed with a severe side effect, you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Defective Drug Litigation Group or call toll free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.

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