Victim of End Stage Renal Diseases Among Latest Nexium Lawsuit Plaintiffs

Published on October 6, 2016 by Sandy Liebhard

An Ohio man who developed End Stage Renal disease within months of initiating treatment with Nexium is among the latest plaintiffs to file a proton pump inhibitor lawsuit. Like others pursuing similar cases, the Plaintiff  claims that the drug’s manufacturer knew for years that Nexium could harm the kidneys, but withheld this information from consumers, doctors and federal drug regulators.

Nexium Lawsuit Allegations

According to a September 16th filing in the U.S. District Court, Southern District of Ohio, Joey Burnett began taking Nexium in 2014 to treat peptic disorders. He was diagnosed with End Stage Renal Disease in September 2014, which Burnett alleges was directly and proximately caused by Nexium. He further claims that since its introduction to the market, Nexium has been associated with hundreds of reported adverse events, including case reports involving kidney complications.

“These reports of numerous kidney injuries put Defendants on notice as to the excessive risks of kidney injuries related to the use of Nexium,” the complaint states. “However, Defendants took no action to inform Plaintiff or Plaintiffs’ physicians of this known risk. Instead, Defendants continued to represent that Nexium did not pose any risk of injuries.”

The lawsuit also cites a number of studies linking the use of proton pump inhibitors like Nexium to chronic kidney disease and other serious renal complications.

“In omitting, concealing, and inadequately providing critical safety information regarding the use of Nexium in order to induce its purchase and use, Defendants engaged in conduct likely to mislead consumers including Plaintiffs,” the complaint continues. “This conduct is fraudulent, unfair and unlawful.”

Nexium Litigation

This is just one of the most recent kidney injury lawsuits to be filed in recent months against the manufacturers of Nexium and other proton pump inhibitors. The litigation was preceded by the publication of studies that have linked the popular heartburn drugs to an increased risk of acute kidney injury, chronic kidney disease and kidney failure.

While Nexium came on the market in 2001, the drug’s labeling did not include mention of possible kidney complications until December 2014. At that time, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) ordered all proton pump inhibitor manufacturers to update their labels with information about acute interstitial nephritis, a sudden inflammation of the kidney tubules that can progress to chronic kidney disease and renal failure. However, plaintiffs claim that the drug’s labeling has yet to adequately reflect the serious risks associated with its use.