Hung Jury in Latest Zantac Cancer Trial

The recent trial regarding the discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, which allegedly causes cancer, ended in a hung jury. The litigations, focusing on claims the drug caused prostate cancer, have seen mixed outcomes. Boehringer Ingelheim remained the only defendant after settlements with other drugmakers.

The latest trial over claims that the discontinued heartburn drug Zantac causes cancer ended with a hung jury on Wednesday, as jurors in Chicago were unable to agree on whether Boehringer Ingelheim must pay damages to an Illinois man who said he developed prostate cancer as a result of taking the drug, according to the man's lawyer. It was the second time a jury failed to reach a verdict at trial during the ongoing wave of litigation over the now-discontinued drug.

"We appreciate the jury's careful consideration," Eric Olson, a lawyer for plaintiff Ronald Kimbrow, said in an email. "Boehringer Ingelheim has now twice failed to convince a jury that Zantac was safe." He said the case would go to trial again.

"We are pleased that, once again, plaintiffs have failed to convince another jury of the merits of their baseless claims regarding Zantac," Boehringer Ingelheim said in a statement. The privately held German drugmaker was the only defendant at the trial in Cook County Circuit Court, after plaintiff Ronald Kimbrow settled with others including GSK, which originally developed the drug, and Pfizer.

(With inputs from agencies.)