Since first approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1989 to treat heartburn, Prilosec has been linked to numerous side effects. Some of these side effects have triggered lawsuits against the manufacturer.
Prilosec is a proton pump inhibitor. Proton pump inhibitors are a type of medication that decreases the amount of stomach acid to prevent Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) or acid reflux. They act by blocking the production of acid.
The primary symptoms of GERD are heartburn, an acid taste in the mouth, and regurgitation. Prilosec is also prescribed to treat certain stomach/intestinal ulcers and Zollinger-Ellison syndrome.