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Thanks to a federal court in New Jersey, victims of the drug Valsartan have now been given the green light to participate in a class action lawsuit against several manufacturers of generic valsartan after millions were exposed to cancer-causing chemicals. As of February 2023, all federal court proceedings associated with these lawsuits have been consolidated into the Valsartan MDL class action, which is now underway in New Jersey, and as of January 2023, there are over 1,100 cases pending in federal court.
Valsartan is a popular prescription drug used to treat high blood pressure, heart disease, and specific kidney disease. In July 2018, one of the leading manufacturers of generic Valsartan, the Chinese company Zhejiang Huahai Pharmaceuticals, first discovered that the raw Valsartan it was producing was dangerously contaminated with cancer-causing chemicals known as nitrosamines—specifically, "NDMA" and "NDEA."
Zhejiang Huahai Pharmaceuticals is a wholesale pharmaceutical production lab that manufactures Valsartan and distributes it through U.S. affiliates Prinston, Huahai, and Solco. Once the discovery came to light, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and European health officials immediately issued a global safety recall of the millions of contaminated valsartan products distributed between 2018 and 2021. Following the recall, thousands of people filed lawsuits against those drug companies that manufactured Valsartan pills, linking their cancer diagnoses to the contaminated drugs.
What Exactly Is Needed to File a Class Action Lawsuit?
Since the recall, over 1,000 Valsartan lawsuits have been filed by victims, who developed cancer after taking the drug, against drug manufacturers, retailers, drug stores, and other parties involved in manufacturing, distributing, and selling Valsartan. Other class actions were brought up on behalf of those patients who purchased the defective drugs and did not develop cancer. Their lawsuits were made by "third-party payers," typically the health insurance plans that paid the costs of the contaminated drugs.
The plaintiffs in these class action lawsuits are seeking to recover their financial payments after unnecessarily buying those potentially harmful drugs, as well as compensation to cover medical monitoring and regular cancer screenings and treatments for any injuries related to Valsartan.
If you are looking to join in the class action lawsuit, simply taking Valsartan alone is enough to make you eligible for a case. The established standards require those with injuries to have taken a drug containing Valsartan manufactured or sold from one of the named defendants for at least a year, with a specific illness or damage resulting from use. However, for more specific information regarding how you may be eligible to join the class action lawsuit, we highly recommend you seek out an attorney.
Valsartan Victims Are Eligible for Compensation
Those individuals who the contaminated drug has injured may sustain physical, emotional, and financial damages. Typically in these cases, victims are entitled to compensation for economic damages, which can include the cost of past and future medical treatment and care, the loss of income, benefits, and any future lost wages and expenses related to personal care and household services. Victims can also expect to recover non-economic damages for the pain and suffering they experience because of the defective drug, including the loss of enjoyment of life, decreased quality of life, permanent disabilities and impairments, disfigurement and scarring, mental and emotional distress, and trauma.
If you believe you or someone you know has suffered an illness or has taken Valsartan for treatment, you may be entitled to compensation. However, due to the statute of limitations, victims are urged to seek legal counsel as soon as possible. At Morgan & Morgan, we are looking to help victims of the Valsartan drug get the justice they deserve. Don’t wait to connect with us.
To follow along with this lawsuit or to see if you are eligible to participate in the class action lawsuit, you can connect with Morgan & Morgan today by completing our free, no-obligation case evaluation form.