AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals has been hit with a new Nexium kidney injury lawsuit alleging the over-the-counter heartburn medication is defectively designed, researched, manufactured and promoted, among other things.
Plaintiff Clarice A. alleges in the Nexium kidney injury lawsuit that the heartburn medication, known as a proton pump inhibitor or “PPI,” caused her severe injuries that include acute interstitial nephritis, acute kidney injuries, chronic kidney disease and renal failure.
Her case has been filed into a defective drug mass tort known as In re: Proton-Pump Inhibitor Products Liability Litigation (No. II) where more than 160 similar lawsuits are pending against the manufacturers of Nexium, Prilosec, PrevAcid and other PPI drugs.
The PPI lawsuits all involve allegations of kidney failure, chronic disease, and other serious renal complications caused by the prescription and over-the-counter medications.
Nexium Kidney Injury Lawsuit
Clarice alleges in her Nexium kidney injury lawsuit that AstraZeneca failed to warn patients and their physicians about the increased risk of kidney injury related to PPI drugs.
The plaintiff alleges that Nexium and other PPIs cause deposits to build up in the spaces between the tubules of the kidney and cause sudden inflammation and other kidney injuries. She says that she was unaware that Nexium could cause kidney injuries and began taking the drug to treat heartburn; however, she now suffers a Nexium kidney injury.
“Defendants concealed and continue to conceal their knowledge of PPIs’ unreasonably dangerous risks from Plaintiff, her physicians, other consumers, and the medical community. Specifically, Defendants failed to adequately inform consumers and the prescribing medical community about the magnified risk of kidney injuries related to the use of PPIs,” alleges the complaint.
Are Drug Makers Hiding the Risks of PPIS?
According to the Nexium lawsuit, nearly 21 million Americans used PPIs like Nexium in 2009, earning AstraZeneca $11 billion dollars that year. Previous studies show, however, that there is a causal connection between the use of PPI drugs and kidney injuries.
Recently, the Food and Drug Administration has responded to complaints about the increased risk of kidney injury from Nexium and other PPIs by requiring consistent labeling about the risk on prescribed drugs.
“The FDA noted ‘that the prescription PPI labeling should be consistent with regard to this risk’ and that ‘there is reasonable evidence of a causal association,’’ states the Nexium lawsuit.
Although over-the-counter PPIs were not required to include additional warnings, the Nexium lawsuit notes that further studies revealed a connection between these drugs and kidney injuries as well.
“In spite of their commercial success and global popularity,” says the complaint, “up to 70% of PPIs may be used inappropriately for indications or durations that were never tested or approved.”
Further complicating the problem, patients experiencing kidney injuries after taking Nexium and other PPIs report non-specific symptoms, like fatigue, nausea, and weakness, making the injury hard to diagnose.
“As the kidneys lose their ability to function properly, wastes can build to high levels in the blood resulting in numerous, serious complications ranging from nerve damage and heart disease to kidney failure and death,” says the Nexium kidney injury lawsuit.
Patients undergoing kidney complications after taking Nexium or other PPIs must be taken off the drug immediately. Kidney injuries that have progressed too far cannot be reversed.
The plaintiff alleges that AstraZeneca knew of the risks associated with PPIs and Nexium kidney injuries, but concealed this information from patients, doctors and the public to boost sales. The plaintiff also alleges that there are numerous safe alternatives for heartburn treatment that don’t cause kidney injury.
The Nexium Kidney Injury Lawsuit is Clarice A. v. AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP, etc., Case No. 17-cv-07351, in the U.S. District Court, District of New Jersey.
Did You Suffer a Nexium Kidney Injury?
Drug manufacturers have a legal responsibility to keep defectively designed, manufactured, tested and labeled products off the market.
If you or a loved one suffered a kidney injury after taking Nexium, Prilosec, PrevAcid or another drug, you may have a legal claim. Defective drug lawsuits can attempt to recover compensation for medical expenses, pain and suffering, missed work, and more.
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