Studies have concluded that Januvia, the well-known drug intended to help patients struggling with type 2 diabetes, may damage the pancreas. Additionally, plaintiffs are seeking legal counsel from Florida Januvia lawsuit attorneys and filing Januvia lawsuits against the drug’s manufacturer, Merck & Co., alleging that the medication may lead to an increased risk of developing chronic pancreatitis, potentially causing the onset of full-blown pancreatic cancer, and that the manufacturer did not properly warn consumers upon distributing the drug.
Plaintiffs allege that Merck did not adequate publicize information regarding the possible health complications stemming from the use of the drug. As a result, current and former patients may be entitled to file Januvia lawsuits in order to seek financial compensation for their injuries, medical bills and lost wages.
Patients claim that they were diagnosed with necrotizing or hemorrhagic pancreatitis, thyroid cancer, pancreatic cancer and kidney failure while taking the drug. Unfortunately, some families of victims are also filing wrongful death lawsuits, claiming the drug caused a condition that was ultimately fatal to their loved ones.
Problems Pertaining to Januvia
The medication, originally approved by the US. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in October 2006, was the first in a new class of medications known as dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors designed to help patients control diabetes. Since Januvia’s introduction to the public market, the medication grew to become one of Merck’s highest-grossing drugs and one of the best-selling medications across the United States.
However, during the drug’s first few years on the market, the FDA reportedly received a number of adverse event reports from patients. As a result, the FDA required that the medication’s warning label be updated in September 2009 to provide additional information pertaining to the potential link between Januvia and pancreatitis.
In February 2012, the FDA also issued a warning letter to the manufacturer, addressing Merck’s alleged failure to conduct adequate testing to determine the potential risk of developing acute pancreatitis while taking Januvia. Although the manufacturer had initially agreed to comply with the FDA’s request for additional testing and to submit results of a three-month study by June 2011, the manufacturer reportedly still had not provided this information to the FDA by February 2012.
Most recently, the FDA decided to launch an official investigation of the possibility of Januvia and other similar incretin mimetics causing pancreatic cancer after receiving evidence that these drugs doubles a patient’s risk of requiring hospitalization as the result of pancreatitis. Additionally, research has concluded that Januvia and other medications may cause pancreatic duct metaplasia, or pre-cancerous cell changes, that could potentially be a precursor to pancreatic cancer.
After learning of the FDA’s involvement and suffering from serious side effects, plaintiffs are beginning to file Januvia lawsuits against Merck to seek compensation for their injuries. Many healthcare providers maintain that those currently suffering from chronic pancreatitis are at an increased risk of developing pancreatic cancer, yet this information reportedly has not yet been made available to consumers. Those who had been taking Januvia and been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer are or will soon be filing cases against the manufacturer, claiming that Merck knew about the potential dangers of the medication but placed their own desire for higher profits ahead of the safety of the public. Florida Januvia lawsuits attorneys are taking note of these developments and are ready to answer any questions you may have regarding legal options against the manufacturer of Januvia.
According to current lawsuits, Merck has allegedly:
- Failed to issue a recall after it became clear that the risks outweighed the potential benefits when compared to other, more safer alternative medications taken for the same purpose
- Failed to warn consumers and the medical community about the potential side effects including pancreatitis, pancreatic cancer, thyroid cancer and kidney failure
- Failed to advise the medical community of the necessity of monitoring current patients for symptoms or signs that the pancreas was changing while taking the medication.
Many are Filing Florida Januvia Lawsuits with Our Assistance
If you or someone you love were taking Januvia to help control your type 2 diabetes and were later diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, thyroid cancer, kidney failure or acute pancreatitis, you may be entitled to pursue a claim against Merck for your injuries. At Attorney Group for Florida, we work to help you pursue the compensation to which you may be entitled. You may be able to pursue a claim for medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering or wrongful death if you are filing on behalf of a loved one. So contact Attorney Group for Florida today for your free consultation.
