Big Take15 Feb 2023

Thousands Claim A Blockbuster Drug Gave Them Cancer

In 2020, the enormously popular heartburn medication Zantac was pulled from store shelves after samples were found to contain the probable carcinogen NDMA.

The drug has since been re-introduced with a new formula that is considered safe to use as directed.

But tens of thousands of people who took the old version of the drug, made with the active ingredient ranitidine, are now suing Zantac’s maker, then called Glaxo and now known as GSK. They claim the medication gave them cancer and are seeking compensation. The company is pushing back, saying there is no conclusive evidence or scientific consensus that ranitidine can degrade and form NDMA in harmful amounts under normal conditions.

Reporters Anna Edney, Susan Berfield, and Jef Feeley dug into the claims and counterclaims for Bloomberg Businessweek, and they join this episode to talk about Zantac’s rise and fall and where these lawsuits are headed.

And Dr. Jaap Venema, chief science officer at US Pharmacopeia, explains how potential carcinogens get into drugs–and what pharmaceutical companies and government agencies are–and should be–doing to ensure the safety of the medications we take.

Read the story: https://bloom.bg/3Yxzno2

Listen to The Big Take podcast every weekday and subscribe to our daily newsletter: https://bloom.bg/3F3EJAK

Have questions or comments for Wes and the team? Reach us at bigtake@bloomberg.net.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Denne episoden er hentet fra en åpen RSS-feed og er ikke publisert av Podme. Den kan derfor inneholde annonser.

Episoder(968)

Weekend Listen: Why Private Credit Got Entangled With Insurance

Insurers have quietly become a major driver of the private credit boom, with numerous private equity shops striking deals with insurance companies or buying them outright. But the entanglement with pr...

2 Aug 51min

The Future of the Democratic Party Runs Through Michigan

The path to the future of the Democratic Party — and to the White House in 2028 — may well run through Michigan. The state’s upcoming Democratic primary election is a highly anticipated showdown betwe...

31 Jul 18min

‘Skimpflation’ Could Be the Sneakiest Consumer Grift

From margarine to chocolate treats, some brands are swapping in cheaper ingredients to save money on their most beloved products. It’s a trend known as “skimpflation.” But what happens when consumers ...

30 Jul 16min

Can We Trust Election Prediction Markets?

With the US midterms fast approaching, voters and the media are increasingly looking to a new forecasting tool: prediction markets. The leading platforms, Kalshi and Polymarket, have been touted as a ...

29 Jul 18min

How India’s Cockroach Party Became a Political Force

Weeks of student-led protests forced the resignation of India’s education minister, in a rare public setback for Prime Minister Narendra Modi. On today’s Big Take Asia podcast, guest host Rebecca Choo...

28 Jul 18min

Trump Rebuilds His Tariff Wall, Brick by Brick

As President Trump paused strikes on Iran over the weekend, he ratcheted up pressure on another front: his renewed trade war. On Friday, the US president imposed levies of 10 or 12.5% on 60 economies,...

27 Jul 16min

Weekend Listen: Can the US Actually Tax Billionaires?

As wealth becomes increasingly concentrated — and artificial intelligence threatens to shift even more income from workers to investors — has the US tax system become outdated? On this Weekend Listen,...

26 Jul 23min

One Weird Trick to Get Your Credit Card Charge Reversed? Fraud.

American consumers disputed nearly 30% more credit card transactions in 2025 than they did just four years earlier. Some of those “chargebacks” are legitimate issues or outright scams. But increasingl...

24 Jul 15min