Proton Pump Inhibitor Lawsuit Parties Agree to Coordinate Kidney Injury Claims

Published on June 20, 2018 by Sandy Liebhard

The parties to thousands of Nexium lawsuits and other proton pump inhibitor claims currently pending in Delaware state court and New Jersey federal court have reached an agreement to coordinate pretrial proceedings between the two litigations.

Coordination of Proton Pump Inhibitor Lawsuits Will Improve Judicial Efficiency

According to a Proposed Case Management Order filed in Delaware Superior Court on June 11^th, the agreement is intended to improve judicial efficiency and will enable the parties in both litigations to avoid or minimize duplicative motions, briefs, and discovery.

“The Court and the parties are mindful of the desire for the efficiencies to be gained through the non-duplication of discovery between the Delaware PPI Actions and discovery taking place in the Other Consolidated Actions,” the Order states. “Accordingly, the parties shall not seek duplicative discovery between this action and discovery already taken in the Other Consolidated Actions.”

Among other things, the Order provides for the coordination of

• Depositions
• Written discovery and document production
• Expert discovery
• Motion practice and hearings

Proton Pump Inhibitor Lawsuit Allegations

More than 4,500 proton pump inhibitor lawsuits are currently pending in the U.S. District Court, District of New Jersey. Hundreds of additional cases have been brought in Delaware and other state courts.

All of these lawsuits have been filed on behalf of plaintiffs who developed kidney failure, chronic kidney disease, acute kidney injury, or acute interstitial nephritis, allegedly due to their long-term use of Nexium, Prilosec, PrevAcid, Protonix, or Dexilant

Among other things, the claims assert that proton pump inhibitor manufacturers have long been aware of reports linking their products to serious and life-threatening kidney injuries and complications. Yet they failed to provide doctors and patients with adequate warnings regarding these risks.

Long-Term Proton Pump Inhibitor Use May Harm Kidneys

Prescription and over-the-counter versions of proton pump inhibitors like Nexium are used by millions of Americans every year to relieve symptoms associated with GERD and other acid-related digestive disorders. Their popularity leads many people to assume that these drugs carry few, if any, risks. However, a growing body of evidence suggests that their long-term use can result in a range of side effects, including serious kidney complications.

In January 2016, for example, a study published in JAMA Internal Medicine suggested that proton pump inhibitors might increase the risk of chronic kidney disease by as much as 50%.

In April of the same year, research appearing in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology found that long-term proton pump inhibitor users were 96% more likely to develop kidney failure and 28% more likely to develop chronic kidney disease compared to patients taking Zantac and other H2-blockers.

In December 2014, the labels for prescription proton pump inhibitors were updated to note acute interstitial nephritis as a potential side effect. However, the prescribing information does not mention any other potential kidney risks.