Proton Pump Inhibitor Lawsuit: The Nexium and Prilosec Kidney Claims

What the Lawsuits Allege

Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) — including Nexium, Prilosec, Prevacid and Dexilant — are among the most widely used heartburn and acid-reflux drugs. Lawsuits allege that long-term use can cause serious kidney problems, including acute kidney injury, chronic kidney disease and end-stage renal disease, and that manufacturers did not adequately warn of the risk. Millions of people take PPIs, often for years, which is why the litigation is large.

The claims are failure-to-warn: not that the drugs are useless, but that the kidney risk was under-disclosed.

The MDL and Settlements

The federal cases are consolidated in a multidistrict litigation in New Jersey, with tens of thousands of claims filed over time. AstraZeneca reached a settlement reported at about $425 million to resolve most of the Nexium and Prilosec cases, and GlaxoSmithKline, Pfizer and Procter & Gamble reached settlements together totaling roughly $108.5 million for their products. Thousands of cases remained active as the settlement process proceeded, and a court special master recommended rejecting the defendants’ federal-preemption defense.

Settlements resolve claims without an admission of wrongdoing.

What Patients Should Know

This is legal-news coverage, not medical advice — do not stop a prescribed medication without talking to your doctor, as untreated reflux has its own risks. For a claim, the evidence is the record of long-term PPI use and a diagnosed kidney injury. Verify any settlement participation through official channels.