Proton Pump Inhibitor Lawsuits Move Forward, As Court Overseeing Federal Kidney Failure Litigation Issues 4th Case Management Order

Published on October 27, 2017 by Sandy Liebhard

Hundreds of proton pump inhibitors lawsuits continue to move forward in the U.S. District Court, District of New Jersey, where all federally-filed claims involving the alleged potential for Nexium, Prilosec and PrevAcid to cause kidney failure and other life-threatening renal side effects are currently undergoing coordinated pretrial proceedings.

According to court records, the proceeding issued its 4th Case Management Order on October 24th, following its October 11th Case Management Conference. Among other things, the Order directs the parties to submit the following by November 2nd:

  • An Order regarding Electronically Stored Information
  • An Order regarding a Privilege Log
  • Proposed Case Management Order Addressing Production of Product Identification and Injury Diagnosis Records
  • A Direct Filing Order

The Case Management Order further stipulates that the parties submit a single Order that includes any competing provisions or two competing Orders, along with simultaneous letter briefs setting forth their positions, if they are unable to reach an agreement on any of the above.

The Court will convene its next Case Management Conference on November 8th at 1:00 p.m. The parties are to submit a Joint Status Report and Agenda to the Court by November 2nd.

More Than 400 Proton Pump Inhibitor Lawsuits Pending Nationwide

At least 275 proton pump inhibitor lawsuits involving Nexium, Prilosec, and PrevAcid, as well as Dexilant and Protonix, are currently pending in the District of New Jersey. More than 130 similar claims are also pending in various state courts, including Delaware, Missouri, Pennsylvania and Louisiana.

All of these cases were filed on behalf of individuals who suffer from serious kidney problems allegedly related to long-term proton pump inhibitor use. Plaintiffs claim that the drugs’ manufacturers have known for years that proton pump inhibitors could potentially harm the kidneys, yet failed to issue appropriate warnings to the public.

Studies Link Proton Pump Inhibitors to Serious Kidney Side Effects

Drugs like Nexium, Prilosec and PrevAcid are indicated for the short-term treatment of GERD and other problems associated with the over-production of stomach acid. They  rank among the best-selling classes of prescription medications in the United States, with nearly $10 billion in sales. However, research has suggested that proton pump inhibitors are often overprescribed, with many patients taking the medications longer than necessary.

In recent years, several studies have linked the long-term use of proton pump inhibitors to kidney failure, acute kidney injury, acute interstitial nephritis, and chronic kidney disease.

In February 2016, for example, scientists at Johns Hopkins published a study in JAMA Internal Medicine that linked proton pump inhibitors to a 45-to- 50% increase in the risk for chronic kidney disease. Twice-daily users had an even higher risk than once-daily users.

In April 2016, a study conducted at the VA in Saint Louis, Missouri and published in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology suggested that  patients who used  proton pump inhibitors for 90 days or longer were more than twice as likely to develop chronic kidney disease and end-stage renal disease.

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