The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Actos for use in type 2 diabetes patients in 1999. The drug’s manufacturers, Eli Lilly and Takeda Pharmaceuticals, stated that the product would help those living with type 2 diabetes increase their insulin production and, as a result, be able to better manage their conditions. However, the FDA issued a public warning in June 2011 after the agency reportedly reviewed data from a 10-year-long study that found a potential link between the popular type 2 diabetes medication and bladder cancer.
FDA Reports Actos Risks
According to the FDA, physicians should exercise caution when prescribing Actos to patients currently living with bladder cancer. Those who are at a higher risk of developing the condition due to a family history or other factors should also consider alternate medications before choosing Actos. The agency stated that it would continue to evaluate data from the study and conduct a comprehensive review of an additional study that is pending in France.
Actos patients throughout the U.S. have begun to pursue claims against the manufacturers for compensation, alleging that they developed several severe and life-threatening side effects as a result of the medication. Common claims include bladder cancer, eye injuries, and cardiovascular complications such as heart attacks and congestive heart failure.
Actos Lawsuit Updates
In April 2014, an early Actos bellwether trial was resolved when a federal court in Louisiana found Takeda Pharmaceuticals and Eli Lilly destroyed or purposefully hid evidence of the possible Actos risks as well as its alleged link to cancer of the bladder. Blue Cross Blue Shield filed a lawsuit against the companies two months later, claiming that the manufacturer’s negligence in not warning the public of the possible Actos risks caused the insurance provider to pay out claims for which it should not have been responsible.
A California state court awarded $6.5 million in an Actos bladder cancer lawsuit that went to trial in April 2013. According to court documents, the plaintiff was awarded $5 million in compensatory damages and $1.5 million to the plaintiff’s wife for loss of consortium. However, that decision was reversed two months later when Takeda Pharmaceuticals successfully persuaded the judge to discard the case because the plaintiff was reportedly unable to prove that Actos caused his bladder cancer.
Have You Been Injured in California? We Can Help
If you or a loved one took Actos and you suffered from adverse side effects or complications such as bladder cancer or if you are concerned about possible Actos risks, please contact Attorney Group for California today to receive a free, no-obligation consultation. We can help answer your questions and put you in contact with an affiliated lawyer in California who can help you seek the compensation to which you may be entitled.
