Zantac Plaintiffs Lack Standing to Bring RICO Claims, MDL Judge Rules

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — The judge overseeing the federal Zantac (ranitidine) multidistrict litigation docket has dismissed with prejudice plaintiffs’ Racketeer and Influenced Corrupt Organization Act claims against the brand name defendants, ruling they are defeated by the “indirect purchaser rule.”

In a June 30 order, Judge Robin L. Rosenberg of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida said the plaintiffs lack standing because they did not purchase the over-the-counter heartburn medication directly from the defendants.

Scientific studies have shown that ranitidine can transform into a cancer-causing molecule called N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA), which is part of a carcinogenic …