GSK to Pay $2.2B to Settle Zantac Cancer Lawsuits
GSK Settlesto MorePay Lawsuits$2.2B Overto HeartburnSettle DrugZantac ZantacCancer Lawsuits
The Facts
British pharmaceutical giant GSK has reached a confidential settlement for four lawsuits in the US over claims that its heartburn drug Zantac causes cancer. The settlements, which include the Cantlay/Harper case set for trial in California next month, were to avoid further litigation.British pharmaceutical giant GSK has agreed to pay up to $2.2B to settle most pending US state court lawsuits that claimed its now-discontinued heartburn drug Zantac causes cancer.
The settlement includes three "bellwether" breast cancer cases in California, resulting in GSK's dismissal from these cases and related pre-trial hearings, though the company maintains this is not an admission of liability.Though the British drugmaker GSK struck the settlement earlier than expected, it denied any wrongdoing, stating there was "no consistent or reliable evidence" that Zantac could degrade into a carcinogen.
The Spin
GSK's decision to settle these cases simply avoids the distraction of protracted litigation. As there is no scientific evidence backing claims of consumer harm from Zantac, the company will continue defending itself in all other Zantac cases based on facts and science.
GSK wouldn't be paying such enormous settlements if it wasn't hiding something. In fact, investigations have now shown the company was aware of Zantac's link to cancer as far back as the early 1980s, meaning GSK is liable for decades worth of unnecessary cancer diagnoses.
The vast majority of US health regulators have conflicts of interest with the food and pharmaceutical industries, which is why they promote these billion-dollar drugs rather than talk about underlying causes. For example, gastric reflux, which causes heartburn, could be prevented by simply walking a few thousand steps a day. The US government and its friends in big business are the main causes of American health problems.
There's a 50% chance that the average survival rate of all cancers will exceed 75% by 2029, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
