The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a public health warning in June 2011 to alert the public and medical communities of the possible Actos risks associated with the popular type 2 diabetes medication. According to the agency, Actos could potentially cause bladder cancer in patients if taken for more than one year. The FDA had reportedly analyzed a 10-year study in which researchers found that Actos patients were at an increased risk of severe complications. Among other things, the alert informed physicians that they should prescribe Actos with caution in patients already living with bladder cancer.
What is Actos?
Actos was first approved by the FDA in 1999 as a medication for type 2 diabetes patients. According to Takeda Pharmaceuticals and Eli Lilly, the manufacturers of Actos, the product was designed to increase insulin production while improving the body’s sensitivity to insulin. While Actos has helped thousands of type 2 diabetes patients to better manage their conditions, hundreds more have allegedly suffered from bladder cancer, eye injuries, heart attacks, congestive heart failure, and other complications, possibly because of the medication.
Actos Risks Included in Lawsuits
As a result of the possible Actos risks, hundreds of patients throughout the U.S. have begun to work with attorneys to pursue claims against the manufacturer. Pending Actos lawsuits similarly allege that Takeda Pharmaceuticals and Eli Lilly knew of the potential Actos risks yet failed to warn physicians and consumers of these possible dangers.
A plaintiff was awarded $9 billion in punitive damages by a Louisiana federal court in April 2014 after the court found Takeda Pharmaceuticals and Eli Lilly purposefully hiding the risk of bladder cancer and other complications. Blue Cross and Blue Shield also filed a lawsuit against the manufacturers two months later, claiming that it was this failure to warn that resulted in the insurance provider paying its policyholders’ medical expenses that had been incurred as a result of Actos.
According to court documents, Takeda Pharmaceuticals was also found to have destroyed evidence that it knew of the dangers of Actos. Although Actos lawsuits are progressing, those who believe they have a case should consider seeking legal counsel as soon as they believe they have a claim before the statute of limitations in Florida bars their claim.
Do You Need a Florida Bladder Cancer Attorney?
Attorney Group for Florida provides free case evaluations to Actos patients who suffered from adverse complications such as bladder cancer. To determine whether you may be able to recover damages for your injuries and to learn more about the potential Actos risks, please contact us today. We can connect you with an affiliated attorney in Florida who can help you seek the compensation to which you may be entitled for pain and suffering, lost wages, and medical expenses.
