Ranitidine, a heartburn medication sold under the brand name Zantac, was removed from shelves in 2020 after the FDA found a contaminant in it known to cause cancer.
Now, an investigation by Bloomberg Businessweek uncovered documentation that the maker of Zantac may have known about the risks for nearly four decades but remained silent.
There is evidence that GSK, formerly known as Glaxo, the maker of Zantac, "had been warned by its own scientists and independent researchers about the potential danger," the publication reported. Documents from the FDA reveal that the agency had concerns about cancer-causing effects, but GSK "backed flawed research designed to minimize concerns" and tried to "discount evidence of [harm] and never gave anyone the slightest warning."
Now, 70,000 people in the U.S. who took the drug are suing GSK. The first trial will begin in California this year, according to Bloomberg Businessweek.
A GSK spokesperson told Bloomberg Businessweek "there is no consistent or reliable evidence that Zantac (ranitidine) increases the risk for any type of cancer."