Manufacturers of heartburn and reflux medicines put on notice for potential class action

Pharma News: 100,000 Australians who have taken widely prescribed heartburn and reflux medications may soon join a class action against the drug manufacturers due to health impacts, including stomach cancers and kidney failure.

Shine Lawyers, in partnership with the US firm Milberg Coleman Bryson Phillips Grossman, is investigating claims that proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are linked to these serious health issues.

The specific PPI drugs under investigation include AstraZeneca’s Nexium or Nexium 24HR (esomeprazole), Cheplapharm’s Losec (omeprazole), Janssen’s Pariet (rabeprazole), Takeda’s Somac (pantoprazole), and Pfizer’s Zoton FasTabs (lansoprazole).

“In the past four years alone, there are likely to have been more than five million Australians who have filled a prescription for a PPI drug. In 2021, over 23 million individual prescriptions were filled, and this number is increasing year on year. It also doesn’t include over-the-counter sales,” said Craig Allsopp, Joint Head of Class Actions at Shine Lawyers.

A recent meta-analysis revealed that PPI use was associated with a significantly increased risk of oesophageal cancer, gastric cancer, pancreatic cancer and liver cancer, while no association was found in the risk of colorectal (bowel) cancer.

“Research across the globe has revealed that users of PPIs are at an increased risk of developing stomach cancers and kidney injuries. This is concerning given research also shows that PPIs are some of the most-prescribed medicines on the market and that consumers typically take PPIs for longer periods and at higher doses than recommended,” stated Allsopp.

“Our investigation should put manufacturers of these drugs on notice. The class action will explore whether there is a claim for statutory safety defects, breaches of guarantee, and/or negligence by the manufacturers,” he added.

AstraZeneca recently settled kidney claims related to Nexium and Prilosec (marketed as Losec in Australia) for USD$425 million in October 2023.

“AstraZeneca continues to believe these claims are without merit and admits no wrongdoing in the settlement agreement. These settlements avoid continued costly litigation and allow the Company to move forward with its purpose of delivering life changing medicines to millions of patients around the world,” the company said in a global statement.

Shine Lawyers’ investigation will examine international research indicating that PPIs increase the risk of gastric cancers (including neuroendocrine tumours and adenocarcinomas) and kidney injuries (including acute kidney injury, chronic kidney disorder, and kidney failure). It will also determine whether the drug companies have failed to inform consumers about these risks.

To enhance the investigation, Shine Lawyers is collaborating with Global Class Action and Mass Tort industry leaders Milberg Coleman Bryson Phillips Grossman.

“This is Shine Lawyers’ first venture into the class action space. We’re encouraged to be working alongside Milberg’s team on this investigation. Group members get the benefit of our local experience and know-how, combined with Milberg’s subject matter knowledge,” said Allsopp.

“This is a major development for Shine as it grows its Class Action and Mass Tort practice. The addition of Milberg’s resources is a key benefit for our clients and our business. It marks the first of many global partnerships as we enter a new space in mass tort litigation.”

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