In 2020, the enormously popular heartburn medication Zantac was pulled from store shelves after samples were found to contain the probable carcinogen NDMA. 

The drug has since been re-introduced with a new formula that is considered safe to use as directed.

But tens of thousands of people who took the old version of the drug, made with the active ingredient ranitidine, are now suing Zantac’s maker, then called Glaxo and now known as GSK. They claim the medication gave them cancer and are seeking compensation. The company is pushing back, saying there is no conclusive evidence or scientific consensus that ranitidine can degrade and form NDMA in harmful amounts under normal conditions.

Reporters Anna Edney, Susan Berfield, and Jef Feeley dug into the claims and counterclaims for Bloomberg Businessweek, and they join this episode to talk about Zantac’s rise and fall and where these lawsuits are headed.

And Dr. Jaap Venema, chief science officer at US Pharmacopeia, explains how potential carcinogens get into drugs–and what pharmaceutical companies and government agencies are–and should be–doing to ensure the safety of the medications we take.

Read the story: https://bloom.bg/3Yxzno2

Listen to The Big Take podcast every weekday and subscribe to our daily newsletter: https://bloom.bg/3F3EJAK

Have questions or comments for Wes and the team? Reach us at bigtake@bloomberg.net.

In 2020, the enormously popular heartburn medication Zantac was pulled from store shelves after samples were found to contain the probable carcinogen NDMA. The drug has since been re-introduced with a new formula that is considered safe to use as directed. But tens of thousands of people who took the old version of the drug, made with the active ingredient ranitidine, are now suing Zantac’s maker, then called Glaxo and now known as GSK. They claim the medication gave them cancer and are seeking compensation. The company is pushing back, saying there is no conclusive evidence or scientific consensus that ranitidine can degrade and form NDMA in harmful amounts under normal conditions. Reporters Anna Edney, Susan Berfield, and Jef Feeley dug into the claims and counterclaims for Bloomberg Businessweek, and they join this episode to talk about Zantac’s rise and fall and where these lawsuits are headed.
And Dr. Jaap Venema, chief science officer at US Pharmacopeia, explains how potential carcinogens get into drugs–and what pharmaceutical companies and government agencies are–and should be–doing to ensure the safety of the medications we take.
Read the story: <a href="https://bloom.bg/3Yxzno2">https://bloom.bg/3Yxzno2</a>
Listen to The Big Take podcast every weekday and subscribe to our daily newsletter: <a href="https://bloom.bg/3F3EJAK">https://bloom.bg/3F3EJAK</a> 
Have questions or comments for Wes and the team? Reach us at <a href="mailto:bigtake@bloomberg.net">bigtake@bloomberg.net</a>.

Each weekday, Big Take brings you a story - one big, important story. We talk to Bloomberg journalists around the world, experts and the people at the center of the news to help you understand what's happening, what it means and why it matters. Money, politics, the economy and business, energy, the environment, technology - we cover it all.

Each weekday, Big Take brings you a story - one big, important story. We talk to Bloomberg journalists around the world, experts and the people at the center of the news to help you understand what's happening, what it means and why it matters. Money, politics, the economy and business, energy, the environment, technology - we cover it all.

Big Take

Thousands Claim A Blockbuster Drug Gave Them Cancer

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/58acb37e-b783-4819-8cbb-afa901713534/transcript

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