A jury recently awarded a West Virginia man $155,000 when it was discovered that drug manufacturer Takeda Pharmaceutical destroyed files that held evidence that the diabetes drug, Actos, could have caused his bladder cancer. The jury found that the destruction of files that contained evidence that they failed to warn patients of the dangers of the drug prevented the man from proving his claims.
West Virginia Case
According to court documents, Richard Myers and his attorneys said there was a direct link to Actos and cancer of the bladder. Actos generated more than $16 billion for Takeda since being released in 1999, but former patents claim that researchers at the pharmaceutical company ignored warnings that the drug had cancer-causing potential. Lawsuits also claim that Takeda misled the United States Food and Drug Administration and doctors who were marketed the drug.
Other Litigation
Less than a month ago, a jury in Pennsylvania ordered the company to pay $2 million to another patient who had claimed a link between their use of Actos and cancer of the bladder. A federal judge in Louisiana just two weeks prior to the West Virginia verdict upheld a previous punitive damage award against the company, also finding a link between Actos and cancer.
Response from Takeda
Takeda officials have said the company may appeal the verdict in West Virginia, stating there is no link between Actos and cancer. They said that a 10-year analysis of patients using Actos found no increase in the risk of bladder cancer, despite the fact that a five-year interim analysis showed a significantly higher risk in patients who used Actos and cancer of the bladder diagnoses. A second analysis that was published in 2012 also found an increased risk of cancer in Actos users as did a meta-analysis of four randomized trials. The most recent study was conducted by the University of Pennsylvania and Kaiser Permanente of Northern California.
Have You Developed Bladder Cancer After Taking Actos?
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with bladder cancer after taking Actos, or if a loved one has died of bladder cancer after taking Actos, contact Attorney Group. We can evaluate your case with no out-of-pocket cost to you. If you have a claim, one of our affiliated attorneys can help you recover a monetary compensation.
