Drugs commonly prescribed and purchased over the counter for heartburn and gastric reflux have reportedly been linked to stomach cancer and kidney failure, and Australian patients could be eligible for compensation.
Melbourne-based law firm Shine Lawyers has launched a class action investigation into the health effects of drugs known as proton pump inhibitors (PPI), affecting an estimated 100,000 Australians.
Those eligible to participate in the class action must have “been diagnosed with stomach cancer or kidney failure after starting to take one (or more) of the PPI medications.”
The PPI drugs under investigation include Nexium or Nexium 24HR (or drugs containing esomeprazole), Losec (omeprazole), Somac (pantoprazole), Pariet (rabeprazole) and Zoton FasTabs (lansoprazole).
Somac and Zoton require prescriptions, while Pariet is only a pharmacist.
Craig Allsopp, Joint Head of Class Actions at Shine Lawyers, said PPIs ‘reduce the amount of acid produced by the stomach and are used to treat acid reflux and stomach ulcers’.
“PPIs are some of the most commonly prescribed medications on the market and consumers typically use PPIs for longer periods and in higher doses than recommended,” he said.
PPIs work by reducing the enzymes that line the stomach and produce digestive acid, relieving burning symptoms in the intestines and throat.
However, this can result in an increase in gastrin levels, a hormone produced in the gastrointestinal tract, urinary tract and nervous system.
Increased gastrin has been linked to the formation of cancer cells.
Melbourne-based law firm Shine Lawyers has launched a class action investigation into the alleged adverse health effects of the drugs known as proton pump inhibitors (PPI), including Losec (pictured), affecting an estimated 100,000 Australians
Stomach cancers thought to possibly be caused by the drugs include neuroendocrine tumors and adenocarcinomas.
Suspected kidney injuries include acute kidney injury, chronic kidney disease and kidney failure.
Mr Allsopp said the class action would investigate whether the drugmakers had failed to inform consumers about these risks.
“The class action will investigate whether there is a claim for statutory safety defects, breaches of warranty and/or negligence by the manufacturers, such as Astrazeneca and Merck,” Mr Allsopp said.
AstraZeneca settled kidney claims against them involving Nexium and Prilosec (marketed as Losec in Australia) for $637 million on October 3.
Shine is working with the US law firm Milberg Coleman Bryson Phillips Grossman on the investigation.
Drug manufacturers Pfizer (Zoton), Takeda (Somac), Janssen (Pariet), AstraZeneca (Nexium and Nexium 24HR) and Pharmaco (Losec) have been contacted for comment.