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Side effects of Nexium, Prilosec and other blockbuster heartburn and acid reflux medications have been linked to a risk of acute kidney injury, chronic kidney disease and potentially kidney failure.  A product liability lawsuit filed over the side effects of Nexium, Prilosec and Prevacid indicates that the manufacturers of the popular acid reflux drugs failed to warn consumers and the medical community that users may face an increased risk of experiencing a host of serious kidney injuries.

The complaint was filed late last month by A’Lydia M. Gibbs, in the Superior Court of Delaware, naming AstraZeneca, Procter & Gamble, and Takeda Pharmaceuticals as defendants.  Gibbs indicates that the drug makers withheld information about studies that suggest users may be more likely to develop an acute kidney injury, acute interstitial nephritis, chronic kidney disease or end-stage renal failure.

The case joins dozens of other Nexium lawsuits, Prilosec lawsuits, Protonix lawsuits, Prevacid lawsuits and Dexilant lawsuits brought by individuals nationwide in recent months, each involving similar allegations that the drug makers withheld information about the risks associated with long-term use of the medications.

Approximately 15 million people in the U.S. alone are taking either over-the-counter or prescription PPI medications.  In 2013, Nexium was the second-best selling drug in the pharmaceutical industry, generating over $6.1 billion in sales worldwide for AstraZeneca.

In January 2016, the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology reported that PPIs – including Nexium – may lead to an increased risk of kidney disease and kidney failure.  Researchers said that people who take popular drugs such as Nexium are more likely to develop kidney failure and 28 percent more likely to develop chronic kidney disease, particularly if the drugs are taken for a long time.

Another study, published in February, 2017, found that Nexium, Prilosec and other proton pump inhibitors were associated with an increased risk of kidney disease and kidney failure, even among individuals who do not experience an acute kidney injury first.

It is expected that thousands of chronic kidney disease lawsuits and other claims over side effects of PPI medications could be filed in the coming months.

 

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