Research Studies Link Actos to Bladder Cancer

If you have type-2 diabetes, chances are you’ve heard of a drug called Actos. Also known as pioglitazone, the drug is used to treat patients by regulating the insulin and sugar levels in their blood.

You might be shocked to hear that Actos has recently been discovered as defective. Research shows that Actos and bladder cancer have strong links to each other. Actos causes other harmful side effects as well, including:
  • Heart failure
  • Liver failure
  • Macular edema

Actos is a popular diabetes medication that accounts for an estimated 20% of the diabetes prescription today. Since 2007, it has been the most commonly prescribed drug in the world for treating type-2.

The drug was said to be the “Avandia-replacement.” For those of you who are unfamiliar with Avandia, it was one of the most popular type-2 diabetes drugs, but was known to cause significant risks of heart attack and heart failure.

However, several studies have proven that Actos is dangerous and should not be given to patients who are already suffering terrible symptoms of type-2 diabetes. A few examples of these are:
  • In 2007, the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) published a study that definitively linked Actos to heart failure.
  • he study was backed by France’s Medicines Agency’s study from 2006 to 2009.
  • In 2008, Kaiser Permanente of Northern California released results of a 10-year survey that indicated a 40% increased risk of bladder cancer in patients who took Actos for more than a year.
  • In 2012, researchers at Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania found that those who took Actos are two to three times more likely to develop bladder cancer.
It is obvious that Actos is a dangerous drug, and doctors should avoid prescribing it to patients who suffer from type-2 diabetes. However, the U.S. FDA has yet to take the drugs off the market. If you are taking Actos, you should talk to your doctor about alternative medication.

If you are suffering from dangerous side effects as a result of taking Actos, you should know about the multi-district litigation that has been filed against the manufacturer, Takeda Pharmaceuticals. You can find out if you are eligible for a claim by speaking to a defective drug attorney