Risk of Kidney Probems from Nexium Hidden by AstraZeneca, Lawsuit Alleges

According to allegations raised in a recently filed product liability lawsuit, AstraZeneca has actively concealed information from the public about the risk of kidney damage from Nexium, failing to disclose important safety information associated with their blockbuster heartburn drug.

The complaint (PDF) was filed by Carolyn Winters in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi on November 16, indicating that she suffered a number of kidney injuries after using Nexium and Nexium OTC from 2009 through 2012.

Nexium belongs to a class of drugs known as proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), which also includes the popular brands Prilosec, Prevacid, Protonix, Dexilant, AcipHex and others. The drugs are used by millions of Americans, and are widely assumed to carry few serious side effects. However, independent studies published in recent years have highlighted a number of serious side effects of Nexium and other PPI medications, including a risk of acute interstitial nephritis, acute kidney injury, chronic kidney disease and kidney failure.

Winters indicates that AstraZeneca knew or should have known about the risk of kidney problems from Nexium for years, yet continued to market the drug without adequate warnings for users or the medical community.

“Defendants, through their affirmative misrepresentations and omissions, actively concealed from Plaintiff and her physicians the true and significant risks associated with PPI use,” the lawsuit states. “Defendants concealed and continue to conceal their knowledge that PPIs can cause kidney injuries from Plaintiff, other consumers, and the medical community.”

The first warnings about the link between Nexium and kidney problems were not added to the drug label until December 2014, indicating that users may experience acute interstitial nephritis (AIN), which involves inflammation of the kidneys. However, Winters’ lawsuit points out that AstraZeneca knew or should have known as early as 1992 about reports of biopsy proven AIN after use of their older PPI medication, Prilosec. In addition, the lawsuit claims the warnings did not go far enough to alert consumers and doctors to the risks.

In April 2015, a study published in the medical journal CMAJ Open found that Nexium and other PPI medications may cause a three times higher risk of AIN, and a 2.5 times higher risk of acute kidney injury, which involves abrupt loss of kidney function.

Earlier this year, a study published in the medical journal JAMA Internal Medicine also found an increased risk of chronic kidney disease with the heartburn medications, indicating that users of Nexium, Prilosec and other PPI may be 50% more likely when compared to non-users.

Winters’ lawsuit joins a growing number of Nexium lawsuits, Prilosec lawsuits,Prevacid lawsuits, Protonix lawsuits, Dexilant lawsuits and other claims brought against the makers of proton pump inhibitors, alleging that the drug makers placed their desire for profits before consumers safety.

Given the large number of users throughout the United States, it is expected that thousands of cases may be filed in the coming months as heartburn drug injury lawyers continue to review and file cases.