Actos Trials Begin in Los Angeles Alleging Bladder Cancer Injuries

In Los Angeles, Asian pharmaceutical maker, Takeda Pharmaceuticals, has been on trial.  The first Actos trials have begun of over 3,000 lawsuits filed alleging the popular drug gave consumers bladder cancer. In these lawsuits, consumers are alleging Actos caused them bladder cancer injuries.  

According to court filings, Takeda Pharmaceuticals may have known about the potential for bladder cancer injury.  In court filings, Takeda Pharmaceuticals allegedly polled doctors in 2003 to determine whether they would prescribe the drug to patients with a bladder cancer warning on the box.

According to litigators, “a bladder cancer warning would destroy the sales of Takeda’s most important drug."  As the trial continues, litigators will try to prove that Takeda Pharmaceuticals knew about the potential for bladder cancer injury and still marketed a potentially dangerous drug to consumers.  As of 2011, Actos was responsible for approximately $4.5 billion in sales for Takeda Pharmaceuticals. If litigators are successful, their lawsuits alleging Actos produced bladder cancer injuries could be quite costly to the manufacturer. 

Actos Dangers for Consumer Injury

In February 2012, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a consumer warning that Actos could be responsible for as much as a 40% increase in danger for bladder cancer injury.  Consumers have made thousands of complaints to the FDA prior to this warning, alleging the following Actos injuries:

• heart problems
• stroke, cardiac arrest
• bladder cancer
• kidney failure
• fertility impairment

The Actos trials will be focusing on one alleged consumer injury- bladder cancer.  As the trials progress, they will help to determine the ability for other injured consumers to recover for bladder cancer injuries.  If you or your loved one has suffered a bladder cancer injury after taking Actos, you should call a skilled product liability and personal injury attorney.  A skilled product liability attorney can help you to determine whether you may be able to obtain compensation for your bladder cancer injuries.

ACTOS SUITS INCREASE IN CALIFORNIA

This morning, another 14 diabetes patients in California filed suit in the Los Angeles Superior Court, bringing the count of Californiavictims filing suit to over 115. Nationwide, there have been over 1,000 lawsuits to date.

These complaints allege the manufacturer, Takeda Pharmaceuticals, and their distributor, Eli Lily, “concealed and failed to completely disclose their knowledge that Actos was associated with or could cause bladder cancer or their knowledge that they had failed to fully study and test regarding that risk and, further, made conscious decisions to ignore the association between the use of Actos and pioglitazone hydrochloride and the risk of developing bladder cancer.” 

Many of these lawsuits, such as 5 new lawsuits filed in Los Angeles Superior Court today, are wrongful death claims initiated by surviving family members. Common claims are that a loved one took Actos for over a year in order to control their type 2 or “lifestyle” diabetes and died of bladder cancer while on the drug.

 

WHAT IS ACTOS' EFFECT?

Studies show that there is as much as a 40% increase in getting bladder cancer after taking Actos for a year or longer.  Due to these often repeated results, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a public health warning that using this drug could increase your chances of getting bladder cancer.  Thousands of patients claim to have been injured by Actos. 

Over 20% of the diabetes medication prescribed today is Actos.  Since 2007, it is the most commonly prescribed drug in the world for treating type-2 diabetes.  In America alone, it is the 10^th most prescribed drug. That’s a lot of diabetics at risk for developing bladder cancer.

Injured patients have been filing suit across the United States seeking relief for their injuries.  If you’ve developed bladder cancer after taking Actos, you may be entitled to compensation.  Consult a trusted attorney today to discuss your rights.

ACTOS LITIGATION HEATS UP

Actos litigation has reached an astounding number recently.  As of August, over 800 Actoscases have been filed against manufacturer, Takeda Pharmaceuticals, its subsidiaries, and Eli Lilly.  The complaints largely allege that plaintiffs developed serious health conditions such as bladder cancer as the result of taking their prescribed diabetes medication, Actos. Many of these complainants allege that the defendants aggressively marketed a drug they knew or should have known to be unsafe.

U.S. District Judge Doherty recently signed a Direct Filing and Service of Process Order which consolidated these cases to expedite relief for victims.  This will likely accelerate cases against Takeda Pharmaceuticals, its subsidiaries, and Eli Lilly instead of waiting to file suit in a local court and hoping the case will transfer to a larger district. Actos injury victims can file suit sooner rather than later.

Actos litigation initiated after patients claimed an increased rate of developing bladder cancer.  Recent studies have supported these claims as has the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, who issued a Public Health Communication in June 2011 which alleged that patients who took Actos for a year or longer were 40% more likely to develop bladder cancer.  As a result of this communication, patients were shocked and concerned.  Many patients sought medical care to determine whether or not they had developed bladder cancer as a result of these reported risks.

Many other countries have similarly warned their citizens of the potential adverse health effects associated with taking Actos.  Most recently, Canada Health warned its citizens in April 2012 that based on scientific research, the risk of bladder cancer was higher in Actos (Pioglitazone) patients. And both France and Germany have already removed the medication from the market. 

Actos patients continue to receive diagnoses such as bladder cancer and studies continue to cite the increased risk of bladder cancer associated with taking Actos (Pioglitazone.) If you or your loved one has been injured taking your diabetes medication, you should consult an attorney to see if you are eligible for compensation.  Don’t suffer these ill effects silently.