A Byetta attorney can help patients who have suffered severe side effects after taking the medication. Byetta, approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in April 2005, was designed to help reduce blood glucose levels in patients living with type 2 diabetes. However, studies have suggested a potential relationship between Byetta and both pancreatic and thyroid cancer. Affected patients may be eligible to seek compensation with the help of a bad drug attorney.
For more information, contact Attorney Group today. Our consultations are free, confidential and without any obligation on your part. We can help answer your questions, and if you choose to pursue a claim we can connect you with an affiliated Byetta attorney who can assist you throughout the legal process.
What is Byetta?
Byetta is a member of the incretin mimetic drug category that helps to copy the action of GLP-1 and GIP hormones typically found in the patient’s gastrointestinal tract. According to Amylin Pharmaceuticals, the drug’s manufacturer, the medication works by reducing blood glucose levels by stimulating insulin secretion in the patient’s pancreas.
After receiving FDA approval, the drug was considered to be a revolutionary treatment. Amylin Pharmaceuticals maintained that when patients were treated with the drug, their bodies were better able to increase blood glucose levels.
According to plaintiffs and Byetta lawyers, Amylin Pharmaceuticals grossed over $700 million in revenue from medication sales since through 2008, due to aggressive marketing tactics. Additionally, court records show that healthcare providers prescribed over 7 million prescriptions since 2005 for the medication. While the drug has, in fact, helped thousands of patients better manage their type 2 diabetes, hundreds of individuals have reported adverse and life-threatening side effects such as a higher risk of developing pancreatic and thyroid cancers.
You may consider consulting with a Byetta attorney to seek compensation for your injuries if you were taking the medication and later diagnosed with a serious health complication.
Byetta Risks
The reported side effects continue to be cause for concern for many members in the medical community. In 2011, the Journal of Gastroenterology published a study that concluded taking exenatide increased a patient’s chance of developing pancreatic cancer six-fold compared to other treatments. Additionally, researchers found that individuals were more likely to develop pancreatic cancer if they took the drug instead of other similar medications.
In February 2013, researchers again raised concerns regarding the high risk of cancer after finding that patients were two times more likely to need hospitalization for pancreatitis if they were taking Byetta. Pancreatitis, an inflammation of the pancreas, is a known precursor to full pancreatic cancer. Although those with diabetes are typically at a high risk for this condition without the use of incretin mimetics, studies show that these medications could raise this risk even more.
Some of the more serious allegations from plaintiffs and Byetta lawsuit attorneys across the country include side effects such as:
- Allergic reactions
- Chest pain
- Nausea, vomiting, headache
- Hypersensitivity
- Kidney damage, renal impairment
- Immunogenicity
- Hypoglycemia
Additionally, injured patients also report experiencing severe pain in the upper abdomen which may radiate throughout the back and unstable blood pressure as well as elevated heart and respiratory rates.
In October 2007, the FDA issued an alert after receiving over 30 reports from individuals suffering from acute pancreatitis, five of which included kidney failure. In August 2008, the FDA updated its warning letter after acknowledging receipt of six additional cases of necrotizing and hemorrhagic pancreatitis as well as two fatalities. Among the reports, patients reported worse symptoms after increasing the dosage of the medication and the decrease of symptoms after the medication was discontinued.
How a Byetta Attorney Can Help
Drug manufacturers have a duty to ensure their products are accompanied by full and accurate instructions and warnings to guide prescribing doctors and other health care providers in making treatment decisions. If a drug maker fails to fulfill this duty, it could be held liable in lawsuits for injuries that may result.
Patients who are injured by Byetta may be entitled to compensation for damages, including:
- Medical expenses
- The permanency of the injury
- Pain, suffering, and mental anguish
- Loss of income or ability to work
If a patient dies from complications after taking Byetta, family members may be entitled to compensation for the wrongful death of their loved one, including:
- Conscious pain and suffering of a loved one prior to death
- Pain, suffering, and mental anguish from the loss of a loved one
- Funeral expenses
Patients who have suffered severe side effects after taking Byetta, as well as the families of those who have died as a result of complications with the drug, are encouraged to seek the advice of a Byetta attorney to learn more about their rights and remedies.
The Time You Have to Pursue a Claim is Limited. Contact Us Today.
For more information, contact Attorney Group. You can fill out the form on this page or contact us by phone or email.
After you contact us, an attorney will follow up to answer questions that you might have. There is no cost or obligation to speak with us, and any information you provide will be kept confidential.
Please note that the law limits the time you have to pursue a claim or file a lawsuit for an injury. If you think you have a case, you should not delay taking action.
