Protonix Lawsuit Facts
MDL
U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey, MDL No. 2789
Settlements/Verdicts
Some settlements have been offered in the MDL

Latest PPI and Protonix Lawsuit Updates

As of December 2024, there are 11,975 proton pump inhibitor lawsuits pending in multidistrict litigation in New Jersey, some of which are Protonix claims. After the 2023 AstraZeneca settlement for Nexium and Prilosec, many attorneys stopped accepting news cases. Drugwatch’s legal partners are not currently accepting cases.

According to our research, much fewer people filed Protonix lawsuits compared to Prilosec and Nexium claims in the MDL. So, the updates we provide talk about the PPI drug MDL since these cases are litigated as a group. These updates come from our docket research and from other legal experts.

PPI and Protonix litigation updates include:
  • September 2024:
    There isn’t much for us to report in this MDL this month. All deadlines are still stayed because of the big Nexium and Prilosec settlement. But attorneys have identified some claimants who don’t have enough documentation of kidney injury to be included in the settlement, and the judge ordered that these cases be dismissed with prejudice. About 90 cases were included in the order to be dismissed. That still leaves more than 12,300 cases pending in the MDL.
  • July 2024:
    We’ve reviewed the court docket, and so far, there has been no new activity in the MDL this month. The judge previously issued a stay on all litigation deadlines, according to our review of the MDL docket. AstraZeneca offered to settle its Nexium and Prilosec cases in October 2023, but other defendants including Takeda Pharmaceuticals and Procter & Gamble haven’t agreed to a global settlement. Thousands of cases are still pending.
  • June 2024:
    Judge Cecchi canceled a previously scheduled status conference that was supposed to take place this month. The judge didn’t set a new date.
  • April 2024:
    Judge Claire Cecchi issued a text order in the MDL that stayed all pending deadlines, including the trial of Conaway v. Takeda Pharma. Co. Ltd., et al. The trial was originally set for October 2024. Takeda manufactures Prevacid and pantoprazole — which it licensed to Pfizer as Protonix.
  • October 2023:
    Big news this month for PPI lawsuits. AstraZeneca offered $425 million to settle roughly 11,000 Nexium and Prilosec lawsuits. We expect activity in this MDL to slow down as the parties facilitate the settlement and qualify plaintiffs who want to be included.
  • January 2023:
    A court order stated that any plaintiff wishing to amend their pleadings to add Pfizer as a defendant based on evidence that they took Protonix “must file an order within thirty (30) days of entry of this Order.”
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In 2017, the court consolidated hundreds of individual PPI lawsuits, including those for Protonix, into the MDL, with various PPI manufacturers named as defendants.

Unlike a class action, each case remains separate, but with combined proceedings. By mid-2019, the PPI MDL had become the second-largest mass litigation in the U.S.

Infographic of PPI Lawsuit Claims including causes of action, kidney damage, and studies.
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Why People Filed Protonix Lawsuits

People filed Protonix lawsuits because they claim the drug can cause kidney disease and kidney damage, and Pfizer never warned about the risk. Studies have established a significant association between PPIs and acute kidney injury and chronic kidney disease. Researchers have linked these popular drugs to severe kidney and other health problems, even in people without previous kidney disease.

According to lawsuits, Protonix and other PPI defendants — such as AstraZeneca — did not warn consumers or doctors about these serious side effects of PPIs. Patients who experienced injuries and the families of those who died have filed product liability lawsuits claiming the failure to disclose was a defective warning that put people at risk.

Protonix is a brand name for pantoprazole, a proton pump inhibitor that decreases stomach acid production. Pfizer manufactures Protonix for treating acid-related conditions such as heartburn, gastroesophageal reflux disease and peptic ulcer disease.

Can I File a Protonix Lawsuit?

It may still be possible for you to file a Protonix lawsuit even if very few attorneys are accepting new Protonix cases because of the settlements in the MDL. So far, only AstraZeneca has publicly offered a global settlement, according to our MDL docket research.

You may qualify to file a Protonix lawsuit if you:
  • Have taken Protonix
  • Have documentation to support your claim, such as receipts, prescriptions or medical records
  • Can show you sustained an injury from taking Protonix, such as a medical diagnosis or treatment

If you think you may be entitled to file a Protonix lawsuit, you should immediately consult an experienced product liability attorney. At this time, Drugwatch’s legal partners are no longer accepting these cases.

Protonix Recalls

Pfizer has never recalled Protonix because of kidney issues or other side effects, and there haven’t been any recalls in recent years.

But in 2017, Pfizer recalled more than half a million vials of Protonix in a Class III recall by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration. However, the company issued this recall voluntarily when it learned the medication may have been subpotent. Since then, there have been no recalls. Users may be confused about recalls from other manufacturers of pantoprazole.

Shortages of the drug have occurred on several occasions, though there is no current shortage from Pfizer. There are PPI alternatives in the event of pantoprazole shortages or if you have concerns about its side effects.

Please seek the advice of a medical professional before making health care decisions.