Patients Still Suffer Diabetes Injury on World Diabetes Day

Today is World Diabetes Day.  On the day of Frederick Banting's birthday, who famously teamed with Charles Best in the 1922 discovery of insulin, we recognize the contributions this discovery has made to the quality of individuals' lives overall.

Before the discovery of insulin, diabetes was a death sentence.  This could mean a slow death, amputation, vision impairment, and a severe reduction in your quality of life.  The discovery of insulin meant these ailments could be prevented and people could live longer.

And yet, diabetes has doubled across the world, mostly due to new type 2 or lifestyle diabetes.  World wide, 366 million people suffer from diabetes, and that number is expected to reach 438 million by 2030.  As cases continue to grow, the need for research is becoming clearer. 

Diabetes Treatment Today

Today, diabetes treatment is varied, ranging between insulin injections to medication and inslet cell transplants in extreme cases.  Type 1 diabetes patients, or those who were born with the condition, enjoy long lives well into their 70's with this disease.  As long as patients monitor their blood glucose and stick to the guidelines their doctors set forth, people can generally extend their lives and live a quality life. Because these patients don't produce insulin, the addition of insulin to their system is critical for a long life.

Type 2 diabetes patients, or those suffering from lifestyle diabetes, have very different options.  In these patients, the body doesn't make enough insulin or their body is resistent to the insulin produced.  To alleviate these symptoms, patients are often prescribed medication and dietary changes.

When Diabetes Treatments Injur Patients Instead

The most popular diabetes 2 treatment has been medication, and specifically the medication Actos has been the leading medication to control blood sugar levels.  As a thiazolidinedione, Actos works by increasing the body's sensitivity to insulin.

However, thousands of Americans have suffered severe consequences as a result of taking Actos.  This includes:

• Bladder cancer
• Heart failure
• Liver failure
• Macular edema
• Bone fractures

A 2008 Kaiser Permanente 10 year meta- study concluded that patients who took Actos for a year or longer were 40% more likely to develop bladder cancer. 

In June 2011, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) agreed with the Kasier Permanente study and announced that patients taking Actos were 40% more likely to develop bladder cancer.

As a result, thousands of patients have suffered and to date, well over a thousand have also filed suit against the drug's manufacturer, Takeda Pharmaceuticals.

If you or your loved one has suffered the devastating effects of bladder cancer or other severe consequences of taking Actos, you are encouraged to talk to a skilled product liability attorney to protect your rights. You may be eligible for compensation as a result of your injuries.

National Diabetes Month is November- Get Tested and Get Treated

November is Diabetes Awareness Month

This November, the American Diabetes Foundation is asking you to remember that it's national diabetes awareness month.  This nonprofit organization is asking you to get tested for diabetes with the Big Blue Test.

Diabetes has become an epidemic in America.  As obesity rates climb across the nation, our foods continue to receive injections of hormones and sugar boosts, type 2 diabetes is becoming a common occurrence.

According to the American Diabetes Foundation:

Nearly 26 million children and adults in the United States have diabetes.

Another 79 million Americans have prediabetes and are at risk for developing type 2 diabetes.

The American Diabetes Association estimates that the total national cost of diagnosed diabetes in the United States is $174 billion.

The aim of diabetes awareness month is to monitor, prevent, and treat diabetes.  Unfortunately, diabetes has become quite risky ovet the years with increased attention to defective and recalled products.

Diabetes Treatment Can Be Risky- a Popular Diabetes Drug Has Been Linked to Cancer

If you suffer from diabetes, the treatment may be worse than the condition itself.  Recently, the FDA recalled Actos, a diabetes medication that has been linked to bladder cancer.  In its health notification, the FDA warned taking Actos for a year or longer can increase a patient's risk of bladder cancer by as much as 40%.  Multiple studies have actually found this reported risk to be quite low.

The newest study, published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute was contributed by researchers at the University of Pennsylvania.  These researchers found that patients taking TZD (thiazolidinedione drugs) such as Actos were two to three times more likely to develop bladder cancer than patients who took sulfonylurea drugs.  This is especially disturbing since TZD's are prescribed to 20% of diabetes patients today. 


Don't Suffer Diabetes- Get Tested

Don't suffer diabetes when you can get tested and prevent diabetes with healthy life choices.  If you already have diabetes and have been diagnosed with bladder cancer as the result of your treatment, you may want to consult a skilled product liability attorney to determine how best to help you.

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. 

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.