Zantac Litigation Update: State Courts Drive Action as Settlements Eclipse Federal Setbacks

The Zantac (ranitidine) litigation is defined by a sharp divide: a frozen federal track and an aggressive, settlement-driven state court environment.

🏛️ Federal MDL: Stalled on Appeal

• The Federal Freeze: The majority of federal claims were dismissed in late 2022 after the presiding judge ruled that the plaintiffs’ scientific evidence (linking Zantac to cancer) failed the crucial Daubert standard.

• Awaiting the 11th Circuit: The fate of these dismissed cases now rests with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, where a ruling is pending on whether the judge was correct to exclude the expert testimony.

💰 State Courts: Billions in Settlements

State courts, which often use different evidence standards, have been the engine of resolution:

• GSK's Landmark Settlement: GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), the original manufacturer, agreed to pay up to $2.2 billion to resolve approximately 80,000 state court claims in late 2024, securing a massive resolution for a significant number of plaintiffs.

• Pfizer & Sanofi: Other major defendants, Pfizer and Sanofi, have also reached confidential settlements to resolve thousands of their respective cases.

• Delaware Challenge: While settlements are progressing, the Delaware Supreme Court delivered a setback in mid-2025, demanding stricter scientific scrutiny for expert testimony in the nearly 75,000 consolidated cases there.

⚖️ The Current Outlook

The litigation landscape is complex:

• Positive for Settled Claimants: Those included in the massive GSK, Pfizer, and Sanofi settlements are now moving into the administrative phase of receiving compensation.

• Continued Battle: Claims against non-settling defendants continue, facing heightened scientific hurdles in key states like Delaware and mixed results in recent trials in Illinois.

The focus is now squarely on the administrative distribution of settlement funds and the pending decision from the 11th Circuit that could re-ignite the federal litigation.

If you have a claim, take action now!