Nexium Lawsuit

Following a series of studies connecting the use of heartburn medication Nexium (esomeprazone) with numerous negative side effects such as dementia, kidney damage and bone fractures, a growing number of individuals have filed suit against drug maker AstraZeneca, alleging negligent failure to warn patients and the public of Nexium’s known risks and defects.

Nexium kidney failure lawsuit

Dating back to its release in the United States in 2001, AstraZeneca’s heartburn drug Nexium (esomeprazone) has gained impressive popularity. Though the drug maker has always let prospective patients know about the possibility of relatively minor side effects such as dry mouth, headache and abdominal discomfort, growing numbers of users of the medication have since lodged complaints about a number of far more serious consequences of taking Nexium.

Nexium has never been packaged with warning information concerning the possibility of dementia, bone fractures and acute as well as chronic kidney issues linked to the medication. Multiple studies have shown that using Nexium for more than a temporary period can and often does lead to such diagnoses. For example, a recently published report suggested that individuals using proton pump inhibitors such as Nexium faced a 96 percent increased risk of developing end-stage renal disease (ESRD). This data is in line with a study from early 2016 which revealed that individuals using Nexium and similar drugs had a boost of 20-50 percent in the risk of developing chronic kidney disease when stacked against those who did not use those medications.

Not surprisingly, many individuals affected by their use of Nexium have begun initiating lawsuits against drug giant AstraZeneca for its alleged failure to properly warn physicians, patients and the public about known dangers presented by this widely used medication. Those harmed by Nexium are pursuing financial compensation for things such as medical bills, physical pain, emotional trauma and other losses stemming directly from their use of the drug.

Because the type of injuries allegedly caused by Nexium can be extremely costly to address, available recoveries can be significant. Ongoing care for dementia patients and aggressive kidney dialysis treatment or transplants can run into the hundreds of thousands of dollars, making it easy to understand why victims are exploring all available legal remedies.

Nexium kidney lawsuit allegations

Allegations in Nexium lawsuits tend to fall along similar lines as other high-profile pharmaceutical litigation initiated in recent years. Cases of this type tend to involve claims of deceptive marketing and faulty product design.

Nexium lawsuits are no different, with charges including:

• Misrepresentation – claimants are alleging that AstraZeneca failed to publicly disclose potential Nexium side effects, or make physicians aware of important safety information.
• Negligence – it is also being alleged that the pharmaceutical manufacturer did not adhere to the standard of care required when producing Nexium by failing to conduct key safety inspections or accurately label the drug for widespread sale.
• Defective design and manufacture – plaintiffs contend that Nexium was defectively designed, produced and marketed by the company, causing tangible injury to patients.
• Fraudulent misrepresentation – claimants argue that AstraZeneca intentionally misrepresented Nexium’s benefits and downplayed risks, and thus continued to benefit financially from its sale and increasing popularity.

Nexium class action lawsuit

Former Nexium patients across the country have been busy pursuing just compensation for their losses. Class action litigation commenced in the past several years has already produced sizable settlements reaching well into the millions. In addition, a rising tally of plaintiffs have filed suit alleging a connection between Nexium use and the development of serious bone fractures. A class action suit involving bone fracture victims resulted in the FDA requiring strengthened warnings on Nexium’s packaging as well as on other proton pump inhibitors. AstraZeneca also entered into a settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice in which it paid nearly $8 million following allegations of conspiracy in violation of the federal False Claims Act, though the drug company offered no admission of liability.

Multidistrict litigation (MDL) involving Nexium bone injury claims was created in 2012, with 55 cases ultimately being consolidated in the proceedings. However, the MDL was eventually closed due to disqualification of plaintiffs’ expert on causation. Despite the conclusion of the MDL, plaintiffs nationwide are continuing to file litigation connected to injuries they believe were caused by their use of Nexium.

Nexium lawsuit settlements

In 2015, it was announced that AstraZeneca agreed to resolve a class action suit in Massachusetts for the sum of $20 million. The claimants argued that the drug maker engaged in deceptive and fraudulent marketing of their drug as being better than lower-priced competitors.

As additional complaints make their way into the courts, it is likely that AstraZeneca will face increased pressure to come to resolution with victims who are able to demonstrate a causal connection between their use of Nexium and the injuries characteristic of similar lawsuits.

Nexium kidney damage lawsuit resources

1. JAMA Internal Medicine, Proton Pump Inhibitor Use and the Risk of Chronic Kidney Disease, http://archinte.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=2481157
2. Journal of the American Society of Nephrology, Proton Pump Inhibitors and Risk of Incident CKD and Progression to ESRD, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27080976
3. Canadian Medical Association Journal, Proton pump inhibitors and the risk of acute kidney injury in older patients: a population-based cohort study, http://cmajopen.ca/content/3/2/E166.full