Updated December 1, 2023
The first Zantac trial is tentatively scheduled to take place in February of 2024 in Alameda County, California. The case, part of the California Zantac JCCP (In Re: Ranitidine Product Cases, JCCP No. 5150), will be for a claimant who alleges Zantac caused their bladder cancer.
The makers of Zantac (ranitidine) are facing lawsuits in several state courts alleging the widely-used heartburn medication causes several types of cancer. Zantac drug manufacturers named in lawsuits include:
- GlaxoSmithKline
- Sanofi
- Pfizer
- Boehringer Ingelheim
Most Zantac lawsuits were consolidated in a federal multidistrict litigation (“MDL”) before U.S. District Court Judge for the Southern District of Florida, the Honorable Robin L. Rosenberg. However, on December 6, 2022, Judge Rosenberg issued an opinion that Zantac lawyers representing some 50,000 plaintiffs failed to provide credible scientific evidence that Zantac causes cancer. Based on that conclusion, Judge Rosenberg granted the drug makers’ request for summary judgment. Plaintiffs’ attorneys will appeal the ruling.
While the Zantac MDL is not currently a viable option for plaintiffs alleging Zantac causes cancer, Zantac lawsuits continue in state courts. Judge Rosenberg’s ruling in the federal MDL will not directly affect the state court cases. Zantac claims are filed in the following state courts:
- California
- Illinois
- Delaware
- Connecticut
- Nevada
- Pennsylvania
Cases in California state court are part of the “Ranitidine Product Cases” Judicial Council Coordinated Proceedings (“JCCP”) 5150. The Honorable Evelio Grillo for the Superior Court of Alameda is the judge overseeing the Ranitidine Products Cases JCCP 5150 (also known simply as the California Zantac JCCP, captioned In Re: Ranitidine Product Cases, JCCP No. 5150). The first Zantac trial is tentatively scheduled for February 2024. It is a bladder cancer case from the California Zantac JCCP.
The Delaware Zantac litigation is also moving forward. In May of 2023, the Honorable Judge Vivian L. Medinilla issued a Case Management Order that applies to all Zantac (generic: ranitidine) cancer cases currently pending in the Superior Court of the State of Delaware. In the order, Judge Medinilla named attorneys R. Brent Wisner of Wisner Baum, Jennifer Moore of Moore Law Group, Raeann Warner of Jacobs & Crumplar, and Justin Parafinczuk of Parafinczuk Wolf to the plaintiffs’ leadership for approximately 77,000 Zantac cases pending in Delaware State Court. Wisner and his colleagues in the leadership will be responsible for presenting the plaintiffs’ position in all pretrial matters, initiating and coordinating pretrial discovery, and more.
Zantac Lawsuit California State Court - Latest Updates
December 1, 2023:The first Zantac trial is tentatively scheduled for February 2024. It will be a bladder cancer case for a plaintiff who alleges Zantac caused their bladder cancer. Jennifer Moore of the Moore Law Group will co-try the case with R. Brent Wisner of Wisner Baum. More details on this case will be forthcoming.
October 11, 2023:Zantac lawyers from Wisner Baum and The Moore Law Group reached settlement agreements in four breast cancer cases in California state court. The settlements resolve bellwether cases consolidated in the California Zantac JCCP. One of the cases was set for trial in November.
September 1, 2023:The first Zantac trial, a breast cancer case, is scheduled for November 13, 2023, in Alameda County, California. While the result of the upcoming Zantac trial will not have a binding impact on other cases pending in California or other courts, this trial will be closely watched to see how the jury responds to the plaintiff’s evidence and experts.
June 23, 2023: Jennifer A. Moore, of theMoore Law Group and R. Brent Wisner of Wisner Baum announced a Zantac settlement in the case ofJames Goetz v. GlaxoSmithKline (Case No. RG20061705). Mr. Goetz’s case was to be the first Zantac case set to go to trial in the California Ranitidine Products Cases JCCP 5150. Zantac attorneys Jennifer Moore and R. Brent Wisner made the following statement after the settlement was announced:
“On behalf of our client, Mr. James Goetz, who took Zantac and developed bladder cancer, we are pleased that Defendant, GlaxoSmithKline, agreed to settle and finally bring closure to Mr. Goetz.”
March 23, 2023 – Judge Evelio M. Grillo issued a 63-page order in James Goetz v. GlaxoSmithKline (Case No. RG20061705) that allows nearly all of Mr. Goetz’s expert witnesses to testify at trial, a decision that signals significant litigation on the horizon for GSK. Mr. Goetz’s case is one of thousands, and with the order, his case will be the first Zantac bellwether trial in the country.A bellwether trial is essentially a test case in a mass tort litigation that sets a precedent for the hundreds or thousands of cases making the same or similar allegations. The first bellwether trial will be a good indicator for out-of-court settlement resolutions. If the plaintiffs win a jury verdict, it generally increases the likelihood that cases will end in Zantac settlement agreements.
March 2, 2023 – The continuation of the Sargon hearing will take place on March 2. This will be the third day of this expert hearing.
February 23, 2023 – The Court continued the hearing on Sargon today. At the conclusion, it was announced that jury selection in the first Zantac trial in California State Court will begin on July 24, 2023. Judge Evelio Grillo is currently considering what expert testimony will be allowed during trial in the case of James Goetz v. GlaxoSmithKline, LLC. Mr. Goetz alleges in his Zantac lawsuit that he developed bladder cancer after taking the drug. His case is the first “bellwether” case, an early test of how Zantac cancer lawsuits will fare in state courts.
February 16, 2023 – The Court held a hearing on Sargon, which allows the legal teams for the plaintiffs and the defendants to present their expert witnesses and educate the court on the science that underpins their arguments.
After carefully considering the expert opinions, Judge Grillo will decide whether the experts used sound logic and valid methodologies to arrive at their scientific opinions. If Judge Grillo determines that the experts used valid methodologies, then Zantac cases in the JCCP can proceed to trial and the experts will be allowed to provide evidence and testimony on whether Zantac causes cancer, and whether that propensity for inducing cancer caused a particular Zantac user to develop cancer.
If plaintiffs’ experts pass muster in Sargon, the first bellwether trial will begin.
Zantac Lawsuit Delaware State Court - Latest Updates
The latest Case Management Conference (CMC) held on July 18, 2023 included some scheduling updates in the Delaware litigation:
July 31, 2023:Plaintiffs’ expert reports due.
September 18, 2023: Plaintiffs deadline to serve any rebuttal expert reports on the issue of general causation for the cancer types in the Delaware litigation.
October 25, 2023: Plaintiffs shall complete depositions of Defendants’ general causation experts.
November 1, 2023: Both parties shall file Daubert motions relating to general causation experts.
December 6, 2023: Both parties shall file oppositions to Daubert motions relating to general causation experts.
December 22, 2023: Both parties shall file reply briefs in support of their Daubert motions relating to general causation experts.
January 22-25, 2024:Hearings on Daubert.
Zantac Lawsuit Illinois State Court - Latest Updates
A Zantac case Illinois state court resolved before trial in August of 2022. Parties in the case agreed to a Zantac settlement agreement roughly a week before trial. We will update this page with new information on the Illinois Zantac litigation when it becomes available.
If you were diagnosed with cancer after taking Zantac, you may be eligible to pursue compensation in a Zantac lawsuit. To learn more about your legal rights, please call (855) 948-5098 or fill out our contact form to start the free case evaluation process.
As a legal expert with a comprehensive understanding of mass tort litigation, particularly in the context of pharmaceutical lawsuits, I draw upon a wealth of knowledge in the realm of Zantac litigation. My familiarity with the proceedings, key players, and legal developments positions me to provide insightful information on the Zantac lawsuits.
The Zantac litigation, as of the latest update on December 1, 2023, revolves around allegations that the widely-used heartburn medication Zantac (ranitidine) may be linked to various types of cancer. Notable drug manufacturers named in these lawsuits include GlaxoSmithKline, Sanofi, Pfizer, and Boehringer Ingelheim.
The pivotal development in the federal multidistrict litigation (MDL) occurred on December 6, 2022, when U.S. District Court Judge Robin L. Rosenberg issued an opinion. Judge Rosenberg concluded that Zantac lawyers representing approximately 50,000 plaintiffs failed to provide credible scientific evidence establishing a connection between Zantac and cancer. Consequently, the judge granted the drug makers' request for summary judgment, dealing a significant blow to the MDL plaintiffs. However, it's crucial to note that this ruling does not directly impact Zantac lawsuits proceeding in state courts.
The Zantac lawsuits are dispersed across various state courts, including California, Illinois, Delaware, Connecticut, Nevada, and Pennsylvania. Notably, California's cases are consolidated under the "Ranitidine Product Cases" Judicial Council Coordinated Proceedings (JCCP) 5150, with the first trial tentatively scheduled for February 2024, focusing on a bladder cancer claim.
In the Delaware Zantac litigation, a Case Management Order issued by Judge Vivian L. Medinilla in May 2023 appointed attorneys to plaintiffs' leadership for the approximately 77,000 Zantac cases pending in Delaware State Court. This highlights the magnitude and complexity of the litigation.
The concept of bellwether trials emerges prominently in the narrative, with the first such trial involving James Goetz v. GlaxoSmithKline scheduled for November 13, 2023, in Alameda County, California. Bellwether trials act as test cases, offering insights into potential outcomes and influencing settlement resolutions. Judge Evelio M. Grillo's decisions, such as allowing expert witnesses in Mr. Goetz's case, signal the impending intensity of the litigation.
The Sargon hearing, a critical expert hearing, has been a focal point in the legal proceedings, with March 2, 2023, marked for its continuation. This hearing plays a crucial role in determining the validity of expert testimony and, consequently, the admissibility of evidence during the trials.
The Delaware litigation, as of the latest update, outlines a detailed schedule, including deadlines for expert reports, depositions, and Daubert motions related to general causation experts. These procedural steps underscore the meticulous approach taken in handling the litigation.
In conclusion, the Zantac lawsuits represent a multifaceted legal landscape, with federal and state-level developments, bellwether trials, expert hearings, and intricate procedural timelines shaping the course of litigation. Individuals who believe they developed cancer after taking Zantac are encouraged to explore legal options for potential compensation, as indicated in the provided contact information.
